Search

Aqueous suspensions of Phlebiopsis gigantea oidiospores, used as a biological control agent against Heterobasidion annosum, were either (1) set under pressure, (2) warmed or (3) used in mechanized stump treatment. Survival of P. gigantea following these treatments was monitored by estimation of oidia germination on agar medium and compared with the germination of oidia from control suspensions. Pressure up to 2200 kPa had no effect on the survival of P. gigantea. No effect on the survival was detected following incubation at ambient pressure for between 5 min and 8 h at 20°C. Phlebiopsis gigantea spore germination had an optimum at 30°C. When exposed to temperatures exceeding 30°C, viability of P. gigantea spores decreased with time. During mechanized stump treatment, survival of P. gigantea was not significantly lower, neither after the suspension had passed through the stump treatment device nor after 7 h time, compared with a fresh control suspension. Thus, mechanized application under normal summer co...