SELECTIVE MEDIUM FOR ISOLATING LASIODIPLODIA-THEOBROMAE

Six chemicals were tested in vitro for their effect on the growth of L asiodiplodia theobromae. Three were selected for further evaluation on 14 of the fastest growing fungi commonly associated with L. theobroma e on Pinus elliottii seeds. Tannic acid suppressed Rhizopus sp., Drech slera sp., Trichoderma sp., and Sphaeropsis sapinea, four of the faste st growing test fungi. Benodanil and tridemorph suppressed most of the other fungi. The selective medium, consisting of 33.6 g/L of malt ext ract agar (MEA), 3,000 mug/ml of tannic acid, 50 mug/ml of benodanil, and 0.5 mug/ml of tridemorph, was effective in suppressing all fungi s elected for testing except L. theobromae. The selective medium was als o more effective than MEA for isolating L. theobromae from soil, woody tissue, and P. elliottii seeds.