Influence of pH on the growth of some toxigenic species of Aspergillus, Penicillium and Fusarium.

The effect of pH on the growth rates of 61 isolates belonging to 13 important toxigenic fungi are reported here: four species each of Aspergillus and Fusarium, and five of Penicillium, over the pH range 2 to 11 at 25, 30 and 37 degrees C. Nearly all species studied were able to grow over the entire range examined on a laboratory agar medium. However, in general, Aspergillus species were more tolerant of alkaline pH while Penicillium species appeared to be more tolerant of acidic pH.