Effects of soil moisture and water on survival of Acremonium cucurbitacearum

The survival of conidia of Acremonium cucurbitacearum in autoclaved soil at six moisture levels and in water was compared during a 3-year period. Alth ough the survival was not clearly influenced by soil moisture levels, A. cu curbitacearum survived better at 50-75% water-holding capacity in soil, but the number of viable propagules per gram of soil remained at a low level a t the end of the study. The greater recovery occurred at water conservation . This study reveals that chlamydospores are the specialized resting struct ures of this fungus in soil. Water conservation is recommended for the stor age and maintenance of A. cucurbitacearum..