Growth Suppression Effect for the Filamentous Fungus by Positive and Negative Ion

Abstract

We previously reported inhibition effects of fungal growth when irradiated with positive and negative ions. This time, we experimentally investigated which growth process of filamentous fungus is affected by positive and negative ions.
First, to determine which stage of growth was inhibited, we examined mycelial growth and spore germination when exposed to positive and negative ions. The results showed that both stages were inhibited by positive and negative ions.
Next, we compared the growth-inhibitory effect between simultaneous irradiation of positive and negative ions with single irradiation of positive or negative ions. The results showed that positive or negative ions alone were able to inhibit the fungal growth to some extent, but the effect with both positive and negative ions was higher than that.
From these data, we found that simultaneous irradiation of both positive and negative ions is effective in inhibition of growth.