The variability of morphological characters and mycelium growth rate of monoconidial culture of Botrytis cinerea Pers.

Abstract

Variability in size of conidia, formation of sclerotia and mycelial growth were examined in monoconidial cultures of 5 isolates of Botrytis cinerea Pers. The influence of two media on the above-mentioned features was also studied. It was found that Botrytis cinerea Pers. is relatively homogenous in respect to the size of conidia. Out of the 50 monoconidial cultures tested, only two had conidia somewhat larger than the remaining cultures. Monoconidial cultures derived from the same isolate varied among themselves in the rate of mycelial growth and in the number and size of sclerotia. The kind of medium used influenced mycelial growth and sclerotia formation. Better mycelial growth was observed on PDA medium than on Czapek's medium. On the latter, the fungus produced more sclerotia which were, however, smaller in size than on PDA medium.