Death
Phase
in
Growth
of
Microorganism- In this phase the cells begin to die and as a result there is an increasing divergence between the total and viable counts. However, when death occurs, autolysis takes place i.e. cells begin to digest themselves. Such autolysis has interesting results.
If a laboratory culture is allowed to enter into the death phase, so that major proportion of cells lyse, those remaining may be able to grow on the products of this lysis. In other words, cannibalism occurs.
