A new model for germination of fungi

The objective of this study was to design a germination model dedicated to fungi. The percentage of germinated spores, P(%), depended on the maximum percentage of germination P-max (%), the germination time, tau (h) and a design parameter, d (-) according to : P = P-max [1-1/1 + (t/T)(d)]. The model was capable to fit satisfactorily either apparent symmetric and asymmetric shapes of germination curves. The accuracy of tau determined by using the logistic or the present model was at least twice that obtained by the Gompertz equation. In contrast to the logistic model, the new model is by essence asymmetric. Therefore, its use is consistent with skewed distributions of the individual germination times that were observed experimentally in many cases. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.