EVALUATION OF PAECILOMYCES-LILACINUS, CHITIN, AND CELLULOSE AMENDMENTS IN THE BIOLOGICAL-CONTROL OF ASPERGILLUS-FLAVUS FUNGI

This study was undertaken to investigate the feasibility of using Paec ilomyces lilacinus NRRL 13 866, chitin, and cellulose amendments, in o rder to reduce survival and prevent germination of sclerotia from Aspe rgillus flavus NRRL 65 56, NRRL 13 048, and A. parasiticus NRRL 13 005 , NRRL 13 539 buried in sandy soil in Georgia and Illinois (April-Octo ber, 1990). The number of sclerotia that germinated sporogenically in moist chambers following burial in Illinois was twice that of scleroti a buried in Georgia and varied among the four sclerotium-producing Asp ergillus spp. strains. Sclerotium viability, as measured by Aspergillu s spp. colony formation on potato dextrose agar, was high (> 84%) for all strains and treatments (e.g., amendment, location). Even so, A. pa rasiticus NRRL 13 539 sclerotia were apparently more susceptible to P. lilacinus colonization than sclerotia from other strains. Treatment w ith Paecilomyces sp. caused a small but significant reduction in germi nation among sclerotia buried in Georgia.