Average radial growth rate and chlamydospore production of Ceratocystis minor, Ceratocystis minor var. barrasii, and SJB 122 in culture

Abstract

Two symbiotic fungi (SJB 122, an unidentified basidiomycete, and Ceratocystis minor (Hedgecock) Hunt variety barrasii Taylor) and one pathogenic phoretic fungus (C. minor (Hedgecock) Hunt variety minor) of the southern pine beetle, Dendroctonus frontalis Zimmermann, were inoculated onto six different concentrations of D. frontalis frass, loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) phloem, and uric acid media to observe radial growth rates and chlamydospore production. The average radial growth rate per day of C. minor var. barrasii increased significantly from the control on all three media, but growth was faster at increased concentrations of added phloem compared with the other supplemented media. Significant increases in chlamydospores produced by C. minor var. barrasii from the control occurred only on frass media, with more chlamydospores being produced at higher concentrations. The average radial growth rate per day of SJB 122 fungus increased significantly from the control on only one concentration of phloem and two concentrations of uric acid, but decreased significantly on low concentrations of frass media. SJB 122 chlamydospore production increased with increasing concentration on frass, was not different from the control on phloem, and increased significantly at intermediate concentrations on uric acid. Ceratocystis minor var. minor average radial growth rate per day increased with increasing concentration on both frass and phloem media but on uric acid decreased significantly at higher concentrations, following an initial signficant increase as compared with the controls.