Production of Diplodia scrobiculata and Diplodia pinea pycnidia on ground Austrian pine needle agar medium

Abstract

The in vitro production of fruiting structures represents an important tool for the morphological identification of fungal genera or species. It is also important for the controlled production of spores to be used in experiments. However, some fungal species do not readily sporulate in pure culture. In the present study we induced the production of pycnidia of Diplodia scrobiculata and D. pinea, two species recalcitrant to sporulation in pure culture, by growing them on two media containing ground Austrian pine needle. The two fungal species grew equally rapidly on both media and pycnidial primordia were produced on the medium surface after only 4 days at room temperature. Conidia matured in less than two weeks and their germination rate at 25°C was about 96%, indicating high viability.