Control of Mimosa pigra by Phloeospora mimosae-pigrae: liquid culture production and application technique
B.R. HenneckeA, S. ChakrabortyB and M.L. DaleC
A Northern Territory Department of Primary Industry and Fisheries, Weed Branch, GPO Box 990, Darwin, Northern Territory 0801, Australia.
B CSIRO, CRC for Tropical Plant Protection, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia.
C Botany Department, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia.
Abstract
Shake-flask liquid fermentation was investigated to mass-produce spores of the fungal pathogen, Phloeospora mimosae-pigrae, a potential biological control agent for the giant sensitive plant, Mimosa pigra. Twenty percent Campbell's V-8 juice in large shake flasks with a pH of 6.5 yielded 9.7 x 106 conidia mL-1 in vitro after ten days fermentation, producing ten times the required inoculum concentration of 1 x 106 for field applications. When sprayed using a backpack sprayer or from a helicopter, the inoculum successfully induced typical symptoms on plants under field conditions. The standardized production and application protocol for P. mimosae-pigrae inoculum can be used to treat large areas infested with this weed.
Plant Protection Quarterly (2001) 16 (3) 111-113.