CRESCIMENTO MICELIAL E ESPORULAÇÃO DE Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. niveum EM DIFERENTES MEIOS DE CULTURA E FOTOPERÍODO

Abstract

The genus Fusarium comprises some of the most important phytopathogenic fungi, causing vascular wilts as well as root and crown rots, thereby resulting in economic losses for various agricultural crops. This study aimed to evaluate the influence of different culture media and light regimes on the mycelial growth and conidial production of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. niveum. To this end, the pathogen was cultured on various media under different light regimes to identify the most suitable conditions for fungal development in the laboratory. The media evaluated were potato dextrose agar (PDA), malt extract agar (MEA), oatmeal agar (AA), and carrot agar (CA), tested under light regimes of 12 h light/12 h dark and continuous darkness (24 h). The results demonstrated that carrot agar was the most efficient medium for both mycelial growth and conidial production in vitro, outperforming the other media tested. Furthermore, light regimes influenced pathogen development, highlighting the importance of environmental conditions for fungal growth and sporulation. Thus, this study contributes to the standardization of laboratory methodologies and to future research regarding the management and biology of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. niveum.