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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Fort Pierce, Florida » U.S. Horticultural Research Laboratory » Subtropical Plant Pathology Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #153899
Title: DEVICES TO SAMPLE AIRBORNE PROPAGULES OF ASPERGILLUS FLAVUS IN THE DESERT REGIONS OF SOUTHWEST ARIZONA

Author
item Bock, Clive
item COTTY, P. J. - USDA-SRRC-ARS

Submitted to: Phytopathology
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/14/2003
Publication Date: 6/1/2003
Citation: Bock, C.H., Cotty, P. 2003. Devices to sample airborne propagules of aspergillus flavus in the desert regions of southwest arizona. Phytopathology. 93: S9.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Different devices (Burkard cyclone samplers, filter samplers, and rotorods) were tested to sample airborne propagules of A. flavus in an irrigated area of southwest Arizona. Both cyclone and filter samplers caught propagules of A. flavus. Although there was no significant difference in the number of propagules caught by the cyclone (7.6-713.8 m-3 of air sampled) and filter samplers (2-1414.2 m-3) over a 2 h period, the catches were not correlated. Cyclone samplers were also operated continuously for 168 h and collected a dry sample that was ideal for plating and enumerating, characterizing fungal isolates. Rotorods collected conidia of A. flavus under controlled conditions, but failed to collect A. flavus in the field. Rotorods did catch propagules of other fungi in the field, but the rotorods became overloaded with dust particles if operated for more than 2 h. Where isolate culture and characterization is required cyclone samplers are ideal for long-term monitoring of air borne propagules of A. flavus. Cyclone and filter samplers can also be used for sampling up to a few hours.