The some physiological and nutritional factors that affect the growth of some fungi

Abstract EN

The present study is attempt to evaluated and compared the ability of different genera and species of fungus to utilize different nutrient sources and to grow under different environmental conditions.

Four genera of molds were grown on different synthetic, semi-synthetic and natural media such as Potato Sucrose agar (PSA), Czapek's Dox agar (CDA) and Water agar (WA), which subjected to a range of temperatures (4, 15, 25, 37 and 50ºC) to investigate their influence on the performance of the mycelium of Alternaria alternata, Aspergillus fumigatus, Penicillium citrinum and Trichoderma harzianum.

PSA and CDA were most favorable nutrients for fast radial growth of mycelium of all genera of fungi and at all temperatures and PH levels, while on WA, the radial mycelial growth was very little or there was no growth at all environmental conditions.

In general, there was high growth at temperatures (15ºC-37ºC), while at 50ºC there was no growth or very little growth of fungi.

On the other hand, a different growth of all fungal genera has been shown in all media with various pH levels, except at pH 11, which have seen little growth colonies or no growth.

Penicillium citrinum have seen the highest growth in acidic pH, while Aspergillus fumigatus have seen in alkaline pH.

On PSA media, all genera have shown the highest growth at 25°C, while no growth at 4°C and 50°C, except a little growth of Alternaria alternata and Penicillium citrinum at 4°C and Aspergillus fumigates at 50°C, while in pH ranges, the highest growth of all fungal genera have shown at pH 3-5, While no growth at pH11, except a bit growth of Aspergillus fumigatus and Trichoderma harzianum.

On CDA media, all genera have shown the highest growth at 25°C, while no growth at 4°C and 50°C, except a little growth of Penicillium citrinum at 4°C, while in pH ranges, the highest growth of all fungal genera have shown at pH 3-7, While the lowest growth of Alternaria alternata, Aspergillus fumigatus and Trichoderma harzianum with no growth of Penicillium citrinum.

While on WA media, all genera have shown a little growth at all temperatures, except Trichoderma harzianum, there was no growth at all temperatures, Alternaria alternata, and also no growth at 4°C and 50°C, Aspergillus fumigatus, no growth at 4°C, Penicillium citrinum,and no growth at 50°C, while in pH ranges, a little growth of all fungal genera have shown at pH 3-7, Whilst no growth of all genera at pH11, except Aspergillus fumigatus.