Abstract
138 soil samples were collected from various loca-tions in Ladakh, a cold desert in the Himalayan region, India and the samples were screened for the presence of keratinophilic fungi using the hair baiting techniques. 58 isolates were recovered and identified. The cultures were identified based on their macro- and micro-morphological features. A total of six genera and fourteen species were isolated namely Amauroascus kuehnii (0.72%), Aphanoascus keratinophilus (4.34%), Aphanoascus terreus (2.17%), Auxarthron alboluteum (0.72%), Auxarthron conjugatum (0.72%), Chrysosporium articulatum (0.72%), Chrysosporium mephiticum (0.72%), Chrysosporium minutisporosum (2.17%), Chrysosporium siglerae (0.72%), Chrysosporium sp. (1.44%), Chrysosporium tropicum (15.94 %), Chrysosporium submersum (3.62%), Chrysosporium state of Ctenomyces serratus (6.52%) and Geomyces pannorum (1.45%). The present study shows that keratinophilic fungi exist in the cold desert of Ladakh.
Highlights
Ladakh, an interesting land deep within the folds of the Karakoram mountain ranges, is known as the “land of passes” (La means pass and dakh means land)
All 58 isolates were categorized in 14 species of six genera namely Amauroascus kuehnii (0.72%), Aphanoascus keratinophilus (4.34%), Aphanoascus terreus (2.17%), Auxarthron alboleuteum (0.72%), Auxarthron conjugatum (0.72%), Chrysosporium articulatum (0.72%), Chrysosporium mephiticum (0.72%), Chrysosporium minutisporosum (2.17%), Chrysosporium siglerae
Aphanoascus keratinophilus, 4.34 %, was the most frequently isolated species followed by Chrysosporium submersum, 3.62%
Summary
An interesting land deep within the folds of the Karakoram mountain ranges, is known as the “land of passes” (La means pass and dakh means land). Ladakh is bordered by the Karakoram chain of mountains in the north and the Himalayas in the south. In Ladakh, altitude ranges from about 2750m at Kargil to 7672m at Saser Kangri in the Karakoram. The temperature vacillates between 27 C in summer to –45 C in winter. The great Himalayan range lying to the south forms a barrier to monsoon in this area due to which Ladakh is an isolated cold desert region. The region of Ladakh normally remains land locked between October to June because of snow and severe cold winter
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