FIG 4.

Impacts of cfp disruption on conidiation capacity and conidial quality of B. bassiana. (A and B) Conidial yields and biomass levels measured from the SDAY cultures during an 8-day incubation at the optimal regime of 25°C and L:D 12 h:12 h. The cultures were initiated by spreading 100 μl of a 10⁷-conidia/ml suspension per plate. (C) GT₅₀ for 50% of conidial germination at 25°C and conidial hydrophobicity (HBP) index assessed in an aqueous-organic system. (D) LT₅₀ and LD₅₀ for conidial tolerance to 45°C wet-heat stress and UVB irradiation, respectively. (E) Fluorescence intensities (FI) for changes of carbohydrate epitopes on the surfaces of conidia labeled with Alexa Fluor 488-labeled lectins. (F) SEM images (bars, 0.5 μm) for conidial coat, which is well defined with an outermost layer of hydrophobin rodlet bundles in WT or CM but impaired severely in DM. (G) Mean size and complexity of conidia indicated by the FSc and SSc readings via flow cytometry. *, P < 0.05. Error bars, SDs of the means from three independent replicates.