To determine fungal responses to fungicides and environmental conditions and for detection of microbial activity in wood, sensitive and objective methods are needed. We have developed a suitable assay based on analysis of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) by using the luciferin-luciferase reaction. With the aid of this assay the activity of Penicillium brevicompactum on wood at different RH levels was studied. The ATP content in a two week old culture responded quite rapidly to changes in humidity. The ATP content in the colony moved to 70% or lower RH for one week was 10 times lower than the ATP content in the colony kept at 100% relative humidity for the same time period. Increasing the humidity level to 100% RH one week before the ATP determination from a period at lower humidities did not result in a significant increase in the ATP content. This probably indicates that the mycelia of the fungus did not survive the low humidity treatment.

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