Identification of growth phenotypes in Aspergillus niger pectinase over-producing mutants using image analysis procedures

Relative growth rates of four strains of Aspergillus niger were estimated by image analysis of colonies grown with mineral salts and 10 g pectin/l. Water activity (aw) levels were 0.96 and 0.99 and 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2DG) was added up to 0.1 g/l. These techniques proved useful to select mould strains for pectinase production in culture media with different water activities. © Rapid Science Ltd. 1998