Characterization of a Biofilm Bioreactor Designed for the Single-Step Production of Aerial Conidia and Oosporein by <i>Beauveria bassiana</i> PQ2

<i>Beauveria bassiana</i> is an entomopathogenic fungus that is used for the biological control of different agricultural pest insects. <i>B. bassiana</i> is traditionally cultivated in submerged fermentation and solid-state fermentation systems to obtain secondary metabolite...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Héctor Raziel Lara-Juache, José Guadalupe Ávila-Hernández, Luis Víctor Rodríguez-Durán, Mariela Ramona Michel, Jorge Enrique Wong-Paz, Diana Beatriz Muñiz-Márquez, Fabiola Veana, Mayra Aguilar-Zárate, Juan Alberto Ascacio-Valdés, Pedro Aguilar-Zárate
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2021-07-01
Series:Journal of Fungi
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2309-608X/7/8/582
Description
Summary:<i>Beauveria bassiana</i> is an entomopathogenic fungus that is used for the biological control of different agricultural pest insects. <i>B. bassiana</i> is traditionally cultivated in submerged fermentation and solid-state fermentation systems to obtain secondary metabolites with antifungal activity and infective spores. This work presents the design and characterization of a new laboratory-scale biofilm bioreactor for the simultaneous production of oosporein and aerial conidia by <i>B. bassiana</i> PQ2. The reactor was built with materials available in a conventional laboratory. <i>K<sub>L</sub>a</i> was determined at different air flows (1.5–2.5 L/min) by two different methods in the liquid phase and in the exhaust gases. The obtained values showed that an air flow of 2.5 L/min is sufficient to ensure adequate aeration to produce aerial conidia and secondary metabolites by <i>B. bassiana</i>. Under the conditions studied, a concentration of 183 mg oosporein per liter and 1.24 × 10<sup>9</sup> spores per gram of support was obtained at 168 h of culture. These results indicate that the biofilm bioreactor represents a viable alternative for the production of products for biological control from <i>B. bassiana</i>.
ISSN:2309-608X