Influence of inoculum preparation on the growth of Penicillium chrysogenum

Aims: The influence of the spore preparation on subsequent fungal growth of Penicillium chrysogenum was assessed. Methods and Results: The influence of four factors [the nature of the diluting solution (physiological water and physiological water added with Tween-80), the age of the sporulating culture (4, 8 and 12 days), the strain (737, 738 and 740) and the inoculum size (10(2), 10(3), 10(4) and 10(5) spores ml(-1)] on two responses (i.e. the radial growth rate, mu, and the lag time, lambda) was studied using an experimental screening methodology. Conclusions: The main conclusion was the strong effect of the inoculum size on lambda. In contrast, the diluting solution had no effect on both the experimental responses. In order to obtain the highest growth rates, it is recommended to use 4-day-old sporulating cultures with an inoculum size of 10(2) spores ml(-1). Significance and Impact of the Study: There is a need for standardizing spore preparation in predictive mycology. The screening methodology is a powerful tool to determine the influence of qualitative and quantitative factors on various biological responses and can be applied widely in microbiology.