D. Moore et al., EFFECTS OF MOISTURE-CONTENT AND TEMPERATURE ON STORAGE OF METARHIZIUMFLAVOVIRIDE CONIDIA, Biocontrol science and technology, 6(1), 1996, pp. 51-61
The effects of moisture content and temperature on the medium-term (3-
4 months) storage of conidia of Metarhizium flavoviride were investiga
ted. Conidia harvested after 24 days of culturing on rice showed great
er tolerance to long storage than conidia from 12-day cultures. es. Th
e moisture content of the conidia was of greatest importance; at harve
st from the culture, conidial moisture contents could be > 40%, while
the optimal moisture content for storage was found to be 4-5%. Dried c
onidia stored in oil benefited from the addition of dl ted silica gel,
as did conidia stored as powder. A range of mineral oils proved satis
factory,ibr storage, and when dried silica gel was added to suspension
s, germination levels were 79.8% after 105 days at 28-32 degrees C. Dr
ied conidia stored in oil maintained germination levels of up to 96 an
d 85% after 80 days at 10-14 degrees C and 28-32 degrees C respectivel
y. Dried conidia stored as powder retained germination levels of 95% a
t 10-14 degrees C, but only up to 27% at 28-32 degrees C. In another e
xperiment, dried conidia maintained greater than 90% germination over
128 days, with or without silica gel at 10-14 degrees C or - 15- - 18
degrees C.