The objective of this study was to determine the effect of temperature (0 to 45°C), pH (4 to 10) and NaCl concentration (1 to 10%) in the growth of Acidovorax avenae subsp. citrulli (Aac). Four Aac strains were grown in specific liquid medium, and their growth evaluated by absorbance (580nm). Data were submitted to nonlinear regression analysis. The bacterial growth was also studied in fermentation broth containing 1% of fermentable carbohydrates, glucose, galactose, rhamnose, sucrose, lactose, maltose, starch, inulin, mannitol, dulcitol, sorbitol and salicin, being evaluated by medium color change. Based upon regression analyses, the minimum, optimum and maximum temperatures for Aac growth were respectively 1, 32 and 41°C; the optimum pH for Aac growth was 7.4 with minimum and maximum of 4 and 10.8, respectively e; Aac growth was reduced with the elevation of NaCl concentration and, 6.2% was lethal. All tested carbohydrates were utilized by Aac strains as carbon source. However small growth variations were observed by the speed and intensity of substrate utilization with acid production.
bacterium; fruit blotch; Cucumis melo; biochemistry; physiology
