Thermophilic and thermotolerant fungi isolated from cultivated and desert soils, exposed continuously to cement dust particles in Egypt

Abstract

Summary Thermophilic and thermotolerant fungi of forty soil samples collected from cultivated and desert soils, exposed continuously to cement dust particles were studied. Ten genera and 16 species in addition to two varieties of Aspergillus flavus and Malbranchia pulchella were recovered from all soil samples, on three types of media at 45 °C. From cultivated soils, 11 species and 2 varieties representing 7 genera were collected on yeast starch agar; on glucose- (3 genera and 3 species) and on cellulose-Czapek's agar (2 genera and 2 species). From desert soils, 12 species and 1 variety which belong to 8 genera were isolated on yeast starch agar and on both glucose- and cellulose Czapek's agar (1 genus and 1 species). In this investigation, the most dominant species was A. fumigatus . Truly thermophilic fungi were encountered and these were: Chaetomium thermophile, Malbranchea pulchella var. sulfurea, Rhizomucor pusillus, Myriococcum albomyces, Talaromyces thermophilus and Torula thermophila . Yeast starch agar was the best medium for isolation of thermophilic and thermotolerant fungi in the present study.