Biological Characteristics of Beauveria majiangensis Strain MJ1015 and Optimization of Solid Medium Technology for Sporulation

The entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria majiangensis strain MJ1015, recently isolated from white grubs on a blueberry farm in Guizhou, China, could be used as a biocontrol agent. As a first step toward determining the effect of different solid culture media, temperature, and pH on colony growth rate and sporulation, we evaluated the optimum solid medium for mycelial growth and conidia production on a commercial scale. Subsequently, we also used single-factor analysis and response surface optimization to optimize the composition of the solid culture medium. On potato dextrose agar (PDA) medium, MJ1015 grew fastest and produced the highest spore yield at 29°C and pH 5. The best solid medium for the growth and sporulation of strain MJ1015 comprised 64.70 g/l of rice, 13.00 g/l of wheat, 0.30 g/l of NaNO3, 0.36 g/l of K2HPO4 · 3H2O, and 1.00 g/l of CaCO3. Rice, NaNO3, and K2HPO4 · 3H2O were the main influencing factors. The predicted value of cultured spores using the optimal medium was 4.56 x 1010 conidia/l. The validation test results showed that the average growth rate of strain MJ1015 on the optimal medium was 85% and 96% faster than that on Sabouraud dextrose agar with yeast extracts medium (SDAY) and PDA, respectively. Sporulation was 43.90 times and 9.65 times of that produced on SDAY and PDA, respectively. Our findings provide a theoretical basis for the commercial production of B. majiangensis to control white grubs.