Published in Scientific Bulletin. Series F. Biotechnologies, Vol. XX
Written by Roxana DUDOIU, Stelica CRISTEA, Daria POPA, Carmen LUPU, Maria OPREA
Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), one of the most widely grown winter cereal crop in Romania, is grown on approximately 2 million ha. Fusarium species affect yield and grain quality because of mycotoxins production. Fusarium spp. is one the most frequently pathogenic species of wheat and understanding its biology provides information regarding the optimal timing to implement specific control measures in order to stop the infection process of the disease. The occurrence and development of toxigenic fungi affects stored products causing quality depreciation, products aggregation and also toxins and allergens production. Micromycetes development on stored cereal seeds is favoured by temperature, light and atmospheric moisture present in storage units, and their fluctuations in time. The aim of our research was to determine the influence of some biological parameters (temperature, pH, light and culture media) on the vegetative fungal growth and development, under controlled conditions. The biological material consisted in one strain of Fusarium spp., isolated from caryopses of wheat, from samples taken from a storage unit in Paulesti, Prahova County. It was established that the fungus develops in a large scale of pH, forming specific colonies between low-acid and high alkaline values (pH 4-10). Optimal temperature values were between 20 and 28°C, with a 6° C minimum and no growth above 36°C. Very good sporulation and vegetative growth was obtained under continuous light conditions.
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