Influence of some physical factors on the growth and sporulation of entomopathogenic fungi

Abstract

The objective of the study was to examine, how some physical factors and inoculation techniques affect the growth and sporulation of three insecticidal fungal strains, Hirsutella tompsonii, Paecilomyces sp., and Pandora sp. Although the methods of inoculation, as well as such physical parameters as temperature, the osmotic value of the habitat and UV radiation, exerted an influence on the above-mentioned features of the fungi, their contribution varied from one strain to another. Some of the effects, however (e.g., the production of filamentous structures by Pandora, or the lethal action of glycerol on Pandora), require a close examination.