Impact of Environmental Conditions on the Germination Time of Penicillium chrysogenum

Sidjè Paule Marina Nanguy^1, and Philippe Dantigny²

¹Université Péléforo Gon Coulibaly de Korhogo, BP 1328 Korhogo, Côte d’Ivoire

²AgroSup Dijon, Université de Bourgogne, 21000 Dijon, France

Cite this paper:
Sidjè Paule Marina Nanguy and Philippe Dantigny. Impact of Environmental Conditions on the Germination Time of Penicillium chrysogenum. American Journal of Microbiological Research. 2016; 4(6):168-171. doi: 10.12691/ajmr-4-6-2

Abstract

In predictive mycology, most of the studies have been concerned with the influence of some environmental factors on fungal growth and production of mycotoxins at steady-state. However, germination should be the main step to be focused on, because a product is spoiled shortly after fungal conidia had germinated. In most of the studies dedicated to fungi, germination experiments were carried out immediately after spores were produced and harvested. Very few studies were concerned with the effect of storage conditions on the germination of fungal spores. The aim of this study is to show the impact of relative humidity, time of storage and temperature on germination time for the mould free shelf-life of food products determination. The effects of relative humidity, RH, time of storage, t and temperature, T on τ were assessed according to a Doehlert design in the range, 20-100%, 2-28 days and 5-25°C, respectively. The paramount influence of the relative humidity during storage on the germination time of the conidia of Penicillium chrysogenum was highlighted. An increase of the germination time was shown at reduced RH's, for increased periods of time and at lower temperatures. We can also observe a germination time, more important for conidia stored compared to fresh conidia obtained in the laboratory. The key factor was relative humidity, but time may be also of paramount importance for storage periods that exceed many weeks.

Keywords:
germination fungi mould Penicillium chrysogenum storage humidity temperature

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

References:

[1]	Dantigny, P., Bensoussan, M., Vasseur, V., Lebrihi, A., Buchet, C., Ismaili-Alaoui, M., Devlieghere, F., Roussos, S. (2006). Standardisation of methods for assessing mould germination: a workshop report. Int J. Food Microbiol 108: 286-291.
[2]	Ypsilos, I.K., Magan, N. (2004). Impact of water-stress and washing treatments on production, synthesis and retention of endegeneous sugar alcohols and germinability of Metarhizinium anisopliae blastospores. Mycological Research 108, 1337-1345.
[3]	Eicher, R., Ludwig, H. (2002). Influence of activation and germination on high pressure inactivation of ascospores of the mould Eurotium repens. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part A 131, 595-604.
[4]	Pitt, J.I., Christian, J.H.B., 1968. Water relations of xerophilic fungi isolated from prunes. Applied Microbiology 16, 1853-1858.
[5]	Nanguy, S., P-M. and Dantigny, P. (2009) Significance of the physiological state of fungal spores. International Journal of Food Microbiology 134, 16-20.
[6]	Samson, R., Hoeckstra, E.S., Frisvad, J.C. and Filtenborg, O. (1995). Introduction to food-borne fungi. 4th edition. CBS Baarn, the Netherlands, 322p.
[7]	Sautour, M., Rouget, A., Dantigny, P., Divies, C. and Bensoussan, M. (2001). Prediction of conidial germination of Penicillium chrysogenum as influenced by temperature, water activity and pH. Letters in Appied Microbiology 32, 131-134.
[8]	Dantigny, P., Bensoussan, M., Vasseur, V., Lebrihi, A., Buchet, C. Ismaili-Alaoui, M., Devlieghere, F. and Rousssos, S. (2006). Standardisation of methods for assessing mould germination: a workshop report. International Journal of Food Microbiology 108, 286-291.
[9]	Dantigny, P., Nanguy, S., P-M., Judet-Correia, D. and Bensoussan, M. (2011). A new model for germination. International Journal of Food Microbiology 146, 176-181.
[10]	Hong, T.D., Ellis, R.H. and Moore, D. (1997). Development of a model to predict the effect of temperature and moisture on the longevity of conidia of Beauvaria bassiana. Annals of Botany 79, 121-128.
[11]	Smilanick, J.L. and Mansour, M.F. (2007). Influence of temperature and humidity on survival of Penicillium digitatum and Geotrichum citri-aurantii. Plant Disease 91, 990-996.
[12]	Teitell, L. (1958). Effects of relative humidity on viability of conidia of Aspergilli. American Journal of Botany 45, 748-753.
[13]	Beyer, M. and Verreet, J-A. (2005). Germination of Gibberella zeae ascopores as affected by age of spores after discharge and environmental factors. European Journal of Plant Pathology 111, 381-389.