EUCALYPTUS ESSENTIAL OIL AS BIO-STIMULATOR OF THE GROWTH OF IN VITRO ECTOMYCORRHIZAL FUNGI

The secondary metabolites extracted from forest species known as micossimbiontes can stimulate the growth of in vitro ectomycorrhizal isolates. We determined the effect of concentration of Eucalyptus grandis essential oil in stimulating growth of the ectomycorrhizal Pisolithus sp. (UFSC Pt 24 and UFSC Pt 188), Pisolithus microcarpus (UFSC Pt 116) Chondrogaster angustiporus (UFSC Ch 163), Scleroderma citrinum (UFSC Sc 124) and Suillus sp. (UFSM RA RA UFSM 2.2 and 2.8) in liquid culture medium. After a period of 25 days of incubation, we evaluated the morphology and growth of the isolates. The addition of essential oil at concentrations from 20 to 30 mu L L-1 promoted mycelial growth in vitro in isolated Pt 24 UFSC, UFSC Pt 116, Ch 163 UFSC, UFSC Sc 124, UFSM RA RA UFSM 2.2 and 2.8. The addition of essential oil at a concentration of 20 mu L L-1 resulted in an increase in the diameter and branching hyphae of isolates UFSC Pt 116 and Pt 24 UFSC. The use of essential oil in the preparation of culture media for the growth of ectomycorrhizal isolates has shown to be efficient and to increase the mycelial mass of the fungus.23240341

Application of spent Agaricus subrufescens compost in integrated production of seedlings and plants of tomato

Purpose: Spent mushroom compost (SMC) is a major solid waste product of the mushroom industry and is the material which remains at the end of a mushroom crop. Methods: Different proportions of the SMC from Agaricus subrufescens cultivation were tested to produce seedlings and plants of tomato. A commercial substrate was used, both as a control and in combination with the spent compost in different proportions. So two experiments were carried out, the first was the production and evaluation of tomato seedlings and the second was tomato cultivation from seedlings produced in the first experiment. Results: The use of different proportions of spent A. subrufescens compost resulted in a decreasing trend of all the parameters in the production of the tomato seedlings. However, in tomato cultivation for all periods of harvest, a positive effect was observed in fruiting when the seedlings were produced with spent A. subrufescens compost in comparison to the commercial control. Conclusion: It was concluded that the use of spent A. subrufescens compost for seedling production led to a higher total tomato production compared to previously reported production levels in organic cultivation systems with green, organic and other types of fertilization. These results demonstrated the great potential of spent A. subrufescens compost for use in organic tomato production because of the better quality of harvested fruit