Survival of soil-borne fungus Phymatotrichopsis omnivora after exposure to volatile fatty acids

Control of plant-pathogenic Phymatotrichopsis omnivora is difficult. In tests of volatile fatty acids (VFAs), mycelia in empty 9-cm Petri dishes with 3 or 6 μL of acetic, butyric, formic or propionic acid did not grow, but 37–67 % grew on potato dextrose agar with 6 μL VFA. Survival of sclerotia was <20 % on water agar with 154 μg/mL of a VFA or 12–40 % in sandy soil with 616 μg/mL. Survivability after 2-h immersion in 17 mmol/L varied greatly (0–100 %) depending on the VFA, but in 33–50 mmol/L, 0 % survived. This fungus was thus susceptible to VFAs.