The effect of disinfectants on fungi in pure culture and on different surface materials

Authors

• Hilkka Koponen Department of Plant Biology, P.O. Box 28, SF-00014 University of Helsinki, Finland
• Hanna Avikainen Agricultural Research Centre of Finland, Institute of Plant Protection, SF-31600 Jokioinen, Finland
• Risto Tahvonen Agricultural Research Centre of Finland, Institute of Plant Protection, SF-31600 Jokioinen, Finland

DOI: https://doi.org/10.23986/afsci.72471

Abstract

The effect of eight disinfectants was tested on 11 fungi. The concentrations recommended by the manufacturers were mostly used in the present trials. Five and 15 min treatment times were too short for most preparations. The best efficacy was achieved at 60 min treatment lime. In pure cultures, all disinfectants tested were most effective against Pythium sp. Overall, the most effective preparation was Desinfektol EL which was effective against all fungi tested at 5 min treatment time. Wood surfaces were more difficult to disinfest than metal and plastic surfaces. Rhizoctonia solani and Verticillium dahliae were highly susceptible only to Desinfektol EL, and NaOCl controlled Pythium sp. and Botrytis cinerea. None of the preparations controlled completely the other test fungi. On metal surfaces the most effective disinfectants were Desinfektol EL and NaOCl; moderately effective were lobac P and Menno-Ter-forte. Korsolin was the least effective preparation. Verticillium dahliae and Phomopsis sderotioides were difficult to kill. The easiest fungi to disinfest were Pythium sp., Rhizoctonia solani, B. cinerea, Fusarium avenaceum, F. culmorum, F. oxysporum, Mycocentrospora acerina and Phoma foveata. Fungi grown on plastic surfaces were best controlled with Desinfektol EL. Also NaOCl, Menno-Ter-forte and lobac P were effective. Korsolin was the least effective preparation. The easiest fungi to eradicate were Pythium sp. and R. solani. The most difficult fungi were V. dahliae and P. sderotioides. Both peat and clay deteriorated the efficacy of the disinfectants except for Desinfektol EL.