Effect of Ionizing Radiations on Resting Conidia of Aspergillus flavus

Abstract

SUMMARY— Conidia of Aspergillus flavors were exposed to the gamma radiation of Cobalt‐60 and to 1 Mev electrons generated in a resonance transformer accelerator. When the spores were irradiated in water there was a linear relationship between radiation dose and logarithmic survival of the spores, with a D value equal to 38 Krad for both the gamma rays and the electrons. In the absence of surrounding water the resistance of the spores to radiation was higher than in the presence of water and the dose‐survival curve was not linear. There was no appreciable pH effect in the range of 3 to 7 on the radiation resistance of the spores. When the spores were irradiated in dextrose solution a small increase in their radiation resistance was observed as the sugar concentration was raised from 0 to 40%.