Development of a less complex medium for production of Sporidesmium sclerotivorum

Sporidesmium sclerotivorum, (SS) is a parasite of the sclerotia of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. SS has been identified as a biocontrol agent with potential for commercialization; however, establishing an efficient system to mass-produce the inoculum has proved difficult. SS grows slowly on SM-4. a complex medium made of glucose, nitrogen sources, salts and vitamins and buffered at pH 5.3. A common microbiological medium based on peptone, yeast extract and glucose (PYG) buffered at pH 5.9 supported faster growth. The addition of Fe super(2+) to PYG to stimulate sporulation is currently under study. Nitrogen sources such as Casamino acids. L-Glutamine, and aspartic acid used either alone, or in combination, with glucose and peptone, did not improve growth of SS.