OOSPORES OF THE BIOCONTROL AGENT PYTHIUM-OLIGANDRUM BULK-PRODUCED IN LIQUID CULTURE

Pythium oligandrum was grown in static and aerated culture in a liquid medium containing 30 g l−1 cane molasses. A switch from vegetative growth to sexual reproduction occurred 7 d after inoculation leading to mass production of oospores at the expense of existing mycelium, so that after 18–21 d biomass mainly consisted of oospores. These survived air-dried at 5–30 °C for at least 16 weeks. The relevance of these findings to commercial oospore production using waste materials is discussed. © 1990, British Mycological Society. All rights reserved.