Rose Bengal Agar Research Articles

Xerophilic Aspergillaceae Dominate the Communities of Culturable Fungi in the Mound Nests of the Western Thatching Ant (Formica obscuripes)

The nests of mound-building ants are unexplored reservoirs of fungal diversity. A previous assessment of this diversity in the nests of Formica ulkei suggested that water availability may be a determinant of the composition of this mycota. To investigate this question, we recovered 3594 isolates of filamentous Ascomycota from the nests of Formica obscuripes and adjacent, non-nest sites, employing Dichloran Rose Bengal agar (DRBA), Dichloran Rose Bengal agar containing glycerol (DRBAG), and malt extract agar containing sucrose (MEA20S). Higher numbers of fungi were isolated from the tops of mounds than from within mounds and non-mound sites. Mound nest soils were dominated by members of the family Aspergillaceae, and up to 50% of the colonies isolated on DRBAG belonged to the genus Aspergillus. Pseudogymnoascus pannorum and species of Talaromyces were also present in higher numbers in mound soils. Species of Penicillium were more abundant in non-nest soils, where they accounted for over 66% of isolates on DRBA. All Aspergillaceae assessed for xerotolerance on a medium augmented with glycerol or sucrose were xerophilic. These results, and our observation that the nests of F. obscuripes are low-water environments, indicate that water availability influences the structure of the fungal communities in these animal-modified habitats.

In-vitro Assessment of Different Culture of Media on the Isolation and Purification of Cauliflower Alternaria Leaf Spot Disease Caused by Alternaria brassicicola (Schwein)

Alternaria leaf spot of cauliflower caused by Alternaria brassicicola (Schwein.) Wiltshire, is a significant disease of cauliflower in the Kanpur region. In the current study the pathogenic fungus was purified from infested cauliflower leaves on potato dextrose agar medium, Following inoculation on healthy cauliflower seedlings the pathogenicity of the causal agent was demonstrated. The results revealed that the fungus was Alternaria brassicicola based on common symptoms on foliage, microscopic findings, and culture characteristics of the fungus. Based on microscopic observation, the causal agent was identified as Alternaria brassicicola (Schwein.) Wiltshire. To proceed to the isolation and purification of the fungus, eight culture media were tested among which the potato dextrose agar medium was found most suitable and encouraged maximum radial mycelial growth (89.07mm) of A. brassicicola. The second best was Corn Meal Agar medium (67.46mm), followed by Potato carrot agar medium (54.83 mm), Rose Bengal agar (53.00 mm), Czapex dextrose agar (40.40 mm), Yeast Extract Agar (32.28 mm), and Nutrient Agar (24.28 mm), While minimum (22.16 mm) growth was recorded in Starch Agar. Thus, potato dextrose agar can therefore be used in the isolation, purification and pathogenicity of A. brassicicola.

The effects of atoxigenic A. flavus co-applied with T. asperellum on the population dynamics of toxigenic A. flavus in the soil

Aspergillus flavus is an important aflatoxigenic fungal specie infecting crops from production to storage. Contamination of foods and their products by these mycotoxins has become a problem worldwide; in Tanzania, related deaths were reported in 2017. This study focused on assessing the effectiveness of atoxigenic Aspergillus flavus, Trichoderma asperellum and a co-inoculated atoxigenic A.flavus and T.asperellum on the population dynamic of toxigenic A.flavus in the soil. A pot experiment was set in the screen house where a known concentration of fungal inoculum was added to the sterile soil. Aspergillus spp. were isolated from soil samples by dilution plate techniques on Modified Dichloran Rose Bengal (MDRB) agar and sub-cultured on potato dextrose agar (PDA). Identification was made using morphological and microscopic characteristics of culture in PDA media. Total colony forming units (CFU g-1 of soil) and incidence percent were derived from colony count data recorded. R-statistical software version 4.0.4 was used to analyse the collected data. There was a significant difference between treatments on reducing the population (CFU/g) of toxigenic A.flavus in soil (p< 2.2×10-16). Co-inoculated T.asperellum and atoxigenic A.flavus significantly reduced the population (CFU g-1 of soil) of toxigenic A.flavus to 1.4×105 CFU g-1 of soil as compared to control treatment 4.5×105 CFU g-1 of soil. There was a strong positive correlation (p<0.001) between the incidence percent and population of toxigenic A.flavus in the soil under different biocontrol treatments. Co-inoculated T. asperellum and atoxigenic A. flavus had the lowest incidence of 36.3% to other treatments. The findings of this study demonstrate that co-inoculated atoxigenic A.flavus and T.asperellum was effective biocontrol treatment for reducing the population of Aspergillus flavus in the soil ecosystem.

First report of Athelia rolfsii associated with southern blight disease of Amorphophallus muelleri in China.

Amorphophallus muelleri, known as konjac, is widely used in the biomedicine and food processing due to its richness in glucomannan. Between the years of 2019 to 2022, severe outbreaks of southern blight on Am. muelleri were observed during August and September in the main planting region of Mile city. The average disease incidence was 20%, resulted in 15.3% of economic losses in approximately 10,000 m2. Infected plants showed wilting and rotting and were covered with white dense mats of mycelia and sclerotia on both petiole base and tubers. Am. muelleri petiole base covered with mycelial mats were collected for pathogen isolation. The infected tissues (n=20) were washed with sterile water and surface disinfected with 75% alcohol for 60 seconds, rinsed three times with sterile water, cultured on rose bengal agar (RBA) and incubated at 27 ℃ for two days (Adre et al. 2022). Individual hyphae were transferred to new RBA plates and incubated at 27 ℃ for 15 days to obtain purified cultures. Five representative isolates were subsequently obtained and exhibited identical morphological characteristics. All isolates produced dense, cotton-white aerial mycelia and had a daily growth rate of 1.6 ± 0.2 mm (n=5). After 10 days, all isolates formed sclerotia in spherical (diameter range 1.1 to 3.5 mm, aver. 2.0 ± 0.5 mm; n=30) and irregular shapes. The number of sclerotia per plate ranged from 58 to 113 (aver=82; n=5). These sclerotia were initially white and gradually turned brown as they matured. A representative isolate (17B-1) was selected for molecular identification and the translation elongation factor (TEF, 480 nt.), internal transcribed spacer (ITS, 629 nt.), large subunit (LSU, 922 nt.), and small subunit (SSU, 1016 nt.) regions were amplified with the primers EF595F/EF1160R (Wendland and Kothe 1997), ITS1/ITS4 (Utama et al. 2022), NS1/NS4, and LROR/LR5 (Moncalvo et al. 2000), respectively. The ITS (GenBank accession no. OP658949), LSU (OP658955), SSU (OP658952), and TEF (OP679794) sequences were 99.19%, 99.78%, 99.31%, and 99.58% similar to those of At. rolfsii isolates (MT634388, MT225781, MT103059, and MN106270, respectively). Thus, the fungus represented by isolate 17B-1 was identified as At. rolfsii, corroborating the identification of Sclerotium rolfsii Sacc., the anamorph, based on cultural and morphological features. Pathogenicity tests were performed on six-month-old asymptomatic Am. muelleri plants (n=30) grown in pots with sterile soil in a greenhouse at 27 °C and 80% relative humidity. The petiole base was scratched with a sterile blade and 20 plants were inoculated by placing a 5 mm2 mycelial plug of five-day-old isolate 17B-1 on the wound. Sterile RBA plugs were used on 10 wounded control plants. After 12 days, all inoculated plants exhibited symptoms similar to those observed in the field, while the control plants showed no symptoms. The morphological and molecular identification of the fungus reisolated from inoculated petioles confirmed its identity as At. Rolfsii, fulfilling Koch's postulates. S. rolfsii was first reported on Am. campanulatus in India (Sarma et al. 2002). As At. rolfsii causes konjac diseases in all Amorphophallus growing areas (Pravi et al. 2014), the importance of At. rolfsii as an endemic pathogen of Am. muelleri in China needs to be recognized, and its prevalence should be determined as a first step to managing this disease.

Green synthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles from Phoenix dactylifera and their anti-microbial potentiality – An in vitro study

Introduction and Aim: The consumption of date palm (Phoenix dactylifera) fruit holds a widespread presence globally and holds notable importance in the diets of various Arabian nations. The adoption of green synthesis for nanoparticle production presents multiple advantages over conventional physio-chemical methods. Furthermore, these nanoparticles have found diverse applications within the medical field. In light of this, the synthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles using extracts from Phoenix dactylifera (dates) was undertaken. The primary objective of this research was to employ a biosynthesis approach for the creation of zinc oxide nanoparticles utilizing extracts from Phoenix dactylifera (Mabroom dates), and subsequently assessing their potential antimicrobial efficacy. Materials and Methods: In the present study, the Dates extract and zinc sulphate solution was mixed and centrifuged to synthesise zinc oxide nanoparticles. Characterization was assessed using visual identification and UV visual spectrometry analysis. The anti-bacterial activity was analyzed in Mueller Hinton agar against the S. mutans pathogen, whereas anti-fungal activity was analyzed in Rose Bengal agar against the C. albicans pathogen to rule out the zone of inhibition. Results: UV-Visible spectrophotometric spectra acquired after 40 hours of incubation revealed an absorption peak at 275 nm, indicating the existence of zinc oxide nanoparticles. The assessment of antibacterial activity against S. mutans exhibited heightened efficacy with 100 µl of dates and ZnO nanoparticles, demonstrating stronger antibacterial effects. Similarly, the evaluation of antifungal activity against C. albicans displayed robust antifungal potency with 100 µl of dates and ZnO nanoparticles. Conclusion: Zinc oxide nanoparticles synthesized using dates exhibited potent anti-microbial activity and thus future clinical trials can use this for Oral potentially malignant disorders such as candidal leukoplakia, erosive lichen planus etc.

Assessment of Antimicrobial Activity of Lycopene, Vitamin E, and Lycopene-Vitamin E Combination Against Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus mutans, Enterococcus faecalis, and Candida albicans: An In Vitro Study.

Background Lycopene is a naturally occurring compound classified as a carotenoid, a group of pigments responsible for the vibrant colors observed in many fruits and vegetables. It is most commonly associated with red-colored fruits and vegetables, such as tomatoes, watermelon, pink grapefruit, and papaya. Vitamin E encompasses a group of chemical compounds that share a structural relationship with alpha-tocopherol and are essential for the proper functioning of the human body. It is a fat-soluble vitamin and is known for its antioxidant properties. The aim of this study is to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of lycopene extract, vitamin E extract, and their combination against oral pathogens for their potential application in the treatment of oral diseases. Materials and methods The potential antimicrobial effects of extracts derived from lycopene, vitamin E, and their combination were evaluated against oral commensals like Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus mutans, Enterococcus faecalis, and Candida albicans. Three concentrations (25 μl, 50 μl, and 100 μl) of the extract were tested. Mueller-Hinton agar (MHA) and Rose Bengal agar (RBA) bases were utilized to determine the zone of inhibition.And the experiments were repeated in triplicate for each group. Results The identification and assessment of the antimicrobial activity of lycopene extract, vitamin E extract, and their combination revealed the greatest efficacy at the highest concentration (100 μl) against all tested microbial strains. Notably, C. albicans exhibited the highest susceptibility compared to the other strains. Vitamin E had the least antimicrobial effect and combination had the highest antimicrobial effect. Conclusion The results of our study demonstrated substantial antimicrobial activity of lycopene and vitamin E. These findings suggest that lycopene and vitamin E can be harnessed in the development of diverse drug formulations for the treatment of oral diseases.

Isolation and Screening of Aqua-borne fungi from Song River

The Song River in Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India, travels from Dhanaulti to Narendra Nagar and originates as a spring-fed stream on the southern slopes of the Himalayan range's Radi Top of Missouri ridge. Fungi are the principal decomposers and work with bacteria in the environment, thus actively participating in the circulation of environmental nutrient cycles such as nitrogen and phosphorus. The aim of this research is the Isolation and screening of Aqua-borne fungi from different locations of Song River. Twenty water samples were gathered from several locations of song rivers in a 1-liter sterile bottle and used 500 mg, Chloramphenicol to inhibit the growth of bacteria, and 1ml and 0.1 ml water samples were poured into PDA, SDA, Rose Bengal agar Medium and the poured plate incubated 4-10 days for fungi growth. After that, the pure culturing method and microscopic observation with Lacto cotton blue strain were used. We reported some species of fungi Rhodotorula sp. 45%, A. Candidus 70%, Rhizopus sp. 35%, A. Niger 85%, and A. flavus 75%, are found in the Song River sites. One of the most recent discoveries on fungus that demands special attention is the frequency of emerging and opportunistic infections in raw water sources. Because fungus can impact water quality in a number of ways, the microbiota of water should be considered when assessing the microbiological safety and quality of drinking water.

Characterization and Determination of Aflatoxigenic and Non-aflatoxigenic Aspergillus flavus Isolated from Bakery Food Products from Frontier around Davangere District

Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites produced by filamentous fungi in food and feed due to several conditions that affect fungal growth and mycotoxin production in different ways. Mycotoxin contamination in bakery food products is seriously dangerous to humans and animals. This study aimed to morphologically characterize and determine the aflatoxigenic and non-aflatoxigenic Aspergillus flavus isolates. Thirty three isolates of A.flavus were obtained from bakery food products collected from bakeries in rural areas like Bathi, Kodaganur, Bada, sasalu, Mayakonda, Avargere, Anaberu, Alur, Attigere, Echagatta around Davangere city. They were cultured on Potato Dextrose Agar medium (PDA), Rose Bengal Agar medium (RBA), Czapec(dox) agar medium (CZA) and Sabouraud’s dextrose agar medium (SDA). By observing the colony color and texture macromorphological characteristics were determined and micromorphological characteristics were determined by observing the spore color, size, structure, conidiophore structure, conidia, vesical shape under microscope. The production of aflatoxin was determined by UV fluorescence of isolates on coconut cream agar (CCA) medium plates. In aflatoxin detection 20 (60.60%) isolates of A.flavus shows positive results and 13 (39.39%) isolates of A.flavus shows negative results. The highest incidence of A.flavus was recorded in samples collected from Attigere followed by Bathi, Alur, Echagatta, Kodaganur, Bada, Anaberu, Sasalu, Mayakonda, Avargere. The incidence of A.flavus that produces aflatoxin highlights the necessity of taking action to eliminate their presence in food. The non-aflatoxigenic strains are being used in a biological control strategy to outcompete the aflatoxigenic ones.

Pathogenic and biological characterisation of T-DNA insertional mutants of a Colletotrichum gloeosporioides casual organism of apple anthracnose

Anthracnose leaf spot caused by Colletotrichum gloeosporioides is an important disease of apples, resulting in serious damage to the fruit production. In this paper, the pathogenic and physiological characters of sixteen isolates and the wild isolate “Stj16” were studied. In the current study, we generated C. gloeosporioides strains expressing green fluorescence by introducing a GFP gene via an Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation (ATMT). To confirm the subcellular localisation of the A2799 gene, an A2799gfp fusion expression mutant was constructed. After observation of the fusion expression, the A2799gfp fusion expression protein was located in the peroxisomes of the cell. The pathogenicity results showed that the mutants A4204, M44, A1919, A3638 and A1598 lost the pathogenic capability and virulence, however, the virulence of the mutants A1764, A439, A3885, G1183, A3144, A1649 and A2675 increased significantly to the apple fruits compared to the wild isolate “Stj16”. The biological study indicated that a Rose Bengal Agar (RBA) medium decreased the mycelium growth, but it can increase the sporulation for most of the isolates. The mutant A4204 does not grow well at pH 4.0 and pH 8.0, and mutant M44 just has the optimum growth at pH 8.0, and a 12 h light and 12 h dark condition stimulates the sporulation for most of the tested mutants, but the A1764 mutant more sporulated at regular dark conditions. All the mutants and “Stj16” grew vigorously at 25 °C–30 °C, for “Stj16”, it produced the highest number of conidia at 30 °C compared with the other temperatures. Based on the biological study, we found the best growing and sporulation conditions for all the tested isolates. The information generated in the present study will facilitate molecular research on this devastating fungus.

Siderophores of fungi from Lipa clay loam soil, Philippines

This research was conducted to isolate culturable soil-borne fungi from Lipa clay loam soil and identify the types of siderophores they produce. The frequency of fungal isolates was likewise compared across the soil strata. Soil samples were plated on Rose Bengal Agar (RBA) and incubated for five days. Morpho-culturally unique isolates were transferred in Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA) slants and identified using taxonomic keys and by ITS sequencing. Siderophores of each species were then characterized through colorimetric methods. Twenty-nine species of fungi were identified. Six isolates were Basidiomycetes, 1 Zygomycetes and 22 Ascomycetes. Among ascomycetes, two were teleomorphs: Chaetomium globosum Kunze and Emericella nidulans (Eidam) Vuillemin. Isolates were then characterized in terms of their ability to produce siderophores. Majority produced hydroxamate type of siderophores while only Aspergillus tamarii Kita produced all three types of siderophores. Six other species failed to produce any of the three types. Isolates may further be studied for their metal remediating capacity and other biological activities.

Biological activities and variation of symbiotic fungi isolated from Coral reefs collected from Red Sea in Egypt

ABSTRACT Ten specimens of coral reefs were collected from the Red Sea in the Ein El-Sukhna region. Fungal isolation was done using two media, Dextrose Yeast Extract Agar (DYA) and Rose Bengal Agar (RBA). The morphological traits identified 18 fungal isolates belonging to the phyla Ascomycota, Mucoromycota and Deuteromycota. Five genera in three orders have been isolated: Eutrotiales (Aspergillus, Penicillium and Byssochlamys), Mucorales (Rhizopus) and Moniliales (Curvularia). The heat mapping clustering of the isolated fungi declared that Aspergillus and Penicillium were the most frequently isolate fungi in coral reefs. It was found that A. fumigatus colonised eight coral samples with 80% colonisation rate. Moreover, about 50% of the isolated fungal species were specific to one coral reef only such as A.candidus and A.carneus isolated from Isophyllastrea rigida only, A.japonicus and A.ochraceopetaliformis from Glaxaea fascicularis, A.niger van Tieghem from Porites astreoides, A.sydowii, A.terreus and P.waksmanii from Cladocora arbuscula, P.janthinellum from Pterogorgia guadalupensis and Curvularia tuberculata, Byssochlamys spectabilis and Rhizopus oryzae from Acropora humilis. Biological activities (antimicrobial, antioxidant antiradical and cytotoxicity) of the most predominant fungal species were investigated. The antimicrobial activity of coral fungal filtrates were investigated against six pathogenic bacteria including Escherichia coli ATCC11775, Neisseria gonorrhoeae ATCC19424, Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC10145, Streptococcus faecalis ATCC19433, Staphylococcus aureus subsp. aureus ATCC25923, Bacillus subtilis subsp. spizizenii ATCC6633 and two pathogenic yeast including Candida albicans ATCC7102 and Candida parapsilosis ATCC22019. Most of these fungal filtrates exhibited moderate to high antibacterial activities against both gram positive and gram negative bacteria, however it showed relatively low bioactivity towards the pathogenic Candida species. Investigating the free radical scavenging activity using DPPH reagent showed low to moderate bioactivities. The highest cytotoxic activity against liver cancer cell line Hep-G2 with an IC50 values of 18.8 µg/ml was exhibited by Aspergillus ochraceopetaliformis MN083316 and a metabolomics study was done on the ethyl acetate extract of this strain using LC-ESI-MS fingerprints leading to the isolation and purification of compound 1. Using 1D and 2D NMR techniques compound 1 was identified as ditryptophenaline. Compound 1 exhibited a strong antimicrobial, antioxidant activities as well as cytotoxic activities against MCF-7 and HEPG2 with IC50 values of 5.8 and 7.6 mmole, respectively. The objective of this study, isolation of Coral-reef associated fungi and studying their biological activities to produce the most active secondary metabolite which might possess a novel biological activity.

Developement of health risk rating scale for indoor airborne fungal exposure

This paper aims to quantify airborne fungal load in air-conditioned rooms and develop a health risk rating scale for different indoor environments. Five sampling locations in Kolkata frequented by a heterogeneous human population, containing various types of fungal growth-promoting substances (FGPS) like old documents, food items, waste hair, etc. were chosen as sampling locations where an Andersen Two-Stage Cascade Impactor was ran using Rose Bengal agar and Potato Dextrose agar media plates. Total spore load (CFU/m3), species diversity, species dominance, human exposure time, susceptible age and FGPS were considered the risk factors for this study. A risk rating scale was developed after evaluating the relative importance of these different factors in relation to human health. The most dominant genera were Aspergillus, followed by Penicillium. Maximum CFU was observed at library, followed by computer room.

Colonial and Morphological Characteristics of Soil Fungi from Jhum Land

Soil fungi represent one of the important microbial groups that are actively involved in enhancement of environmental quality and plant nutrient supply. Studying native soil fungal species and their accurate identification is crucial for contribution to the checklist of fungi. The present study aimed at isolation and identification of some soil fungi from Jhum land, Mokokchung district, Nagaland. Serial dilution method was used to isolate soil fungi on RBA (Rose Bengal Agar) and PDA (Potato Dextrose Agar) plates. Altogether fourteen fungal species belonging to genera Absidia, Alternaria, Aspergillus, Cladosporium, Fusarium, Geotrichum, Mortierella, Mucor, Penicillium and Trichoderma were identified by studying their macro- and micro-morphological characteristics.

Improvement of sperm motility of Oncorhynchus mykiss and Salvelinus fontinalis by L-tryptophan

ABSTRACTExperiments were designed to test the influence of L-tryptophan supplementation of the extender on the sperm motility parameters and bacterial flora of brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) and rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). The extender containing 0.3 M glucose in 10% Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) was supplemented with 0, 0.5, 1, 2, and 4 mM L-tryptophan. Sperm samples stored for up to 12 days at 4°C for brook trout were motile while motility was not observed after six days of storage for rainbow trout. Diluted sperm samples were spread-plated onto Plate Count Agar (PCA) (Total Bacteria Count), Rose Bengal Agar (RBC) (Yeast-Mold Count), Violet Red Bile Dextrose (VRBD) (Enterobacteriaceae count) and Mannitol Salt Agar (MSA) (Micrococcus/Staphylococcus count) and counts were performed in duplicate and sampling occurred on day 0, 2, 4, 6, and 12 of cold storage. L-tryptophan supplementation of the extender yielded a positive effect, significantly prolonging sperm motility in S. fontinalis and O. mykiss compared to the control group (p < 0.05). The ideal results were obtained above a concentration of 0.5 mM for both species. Total bacteria count in fresh sperm (undiluted samples) was not detectable and not detected in sperm samples treated with different L-tryptophan concentrations. Yeast-mold, Enterobacteriaceae and Micrococcus/Staphylococcus were not detected from fresh and treated sperm brook trout and rainbow trout. On the basis of the results, L-tryptophan-based extender is useful for maintaining sperm quality in short-term storage. L-tryptophan had a negative effect on the bacterial flora. The results of the current study encourages further studies related to long-term storage and reproduction management.Abbreviations: DMSO: dimethyl sulfoxide; PCA: plate count agar; RBC: rose Bengal agar; VRBD: violet red bile dextrose; MSA: mannitol salt agar; SCA: sperm class analyzer; CFU: colony-forming unit

Investigation of the effects of slow-release fertilizer and struvite in biodegradation in filter drains and potential application of treated water in irrigation of road verges.

Filter drains are usually laid along the margins of highways. Highway runoffs are polluted with hydrocarbons and high levels of total dissolved solids. Therefore, effective pollution removal mechanism is necessary in order to avoid contamination of surrounding soils and groundwater. Biodegradation is amongst pollution removal mechanisms in filter drains, but itis a relatively slow process which is dependent on wide range of factors including the type of pollutant and availability of nutrients. This paper reports on a study conducted to investigate the impact of slow-release fertilizer and struvite in enhancement of biodegradation of hydrocarbon in filter drains. Filter drain models incorporated with geotextile were challenged with cumulative oil loading of 178mg/m2/week with a view to comparing the efficiency of these two nutrient sources under high oil pollution loading and realistic rainfall conditions of 13mm/week. Nutrients and street dust were applied at one-off rate of 17g/m2 and 1.55g/rig to provide nutrient enhancement and simulate field conditions respectively. The impact of the nutrients was studied by monitoring bacterial and fungal growth using nutrient agar, Rose Bengal Agar media and CO2 evolution. EC, pH, heavy metals, TPH, elemental analysis and SAR were used to investigate water quality of effluent of filter drains for potential application as irrigation fluid for trees and flowers planted on road verges. The results show that nutrient application encouraged microbial activities and enhanced biodegradation rates with differences in type of nutrient applied. Also, it was observed that incorporation of geotextiles in filter drains improved pollution retention efficiency and there is a potential opportunity for utilization of struvite in SuDS systems as sustainable nutrient source.

Cultural and morphological variability among the Isolates of Alternaria alternata (Fr.) Keissler, incitant of fruit rot of chilli

Cultural and morphological variability studies on seven different media viz. , potato dextrose agar, host leaf extract agar, host fruit extract agar, oatmeal agar, Richards' agar, Czapek's Dox agar and Rose Bengal agar revealed considerable variation among the isolates of A. alternata indicated the existence of variability in the pathogen. Moreover, Oatmeal agar and potato dextrose agar were found as an excellent media to support the growth and spore formation of isolates of A. alternata , respectively. In case of isolates, Ahmedabad isolate (Aa-7) (61.90 mm) and Rajkot isolate (Aa-8) (61.71 mm) were at par in supporting the mycelium growth and Anand isolate (Aa-1) supports the sporulation abundantly. Among eight isolates of A. alternata , distinct differences in terms of conidial length, breadth, beak length and number of septa were recorded. The average conidial length varied from 16.93 to 59.24 μm and breadth ranges from 6.90 to 14.98 μm with beak length of 3.25 to 44.07 μm. The transverse and longitudinal septa varied from 2 to 10 and 0 to 4, respectively. In the present studies, glaring differences in conidial size were noticed among the isolates even when same medium was used for the growth of the isolates. It can be assumed that variation in the isolates may be inherent since isolates were collected from diverse agroclimatic zones of Gujarat. Hence, these variations in the conidial size indicated the existence of variability in this pathogen.

Identification Key for &amp;lt;i&amp;gt;Aspergillus&amp;lt;/i&amp;gt; Species Isolated from Maize and Soil of Nandi County, Kenya

The aim of this study was to identify Aspergillus species isolated from maize kernels and soils of maize fields of Nandi County using macro and micro morphological characteristics. A cross sectional research design was used in the study and purposive sampling was employed to determine districts of Nandi County and sub locations where sampling was done. This study was part of a larger project whose aim was to survey aflatoxin exposure in the maize value chain. Aspergillus species were isolated from maize and soil samples using quarter strength potato dextrose agar and modified Rose Bengal agar respectively. Pure cultures of the isolates were sub cultured and transferred onto differential media; malt extract agar, czapek yeast extract agar and czapek dox agar for species identification using macro morphological characteristics. Fungal slides were prepared from pure cultures on potato dextrose agar media after three days to identify micro morphological characteristics. Based on morphological characteristics, seven sections of Aspergillus namely: Flavi, Fumigati, Nigri, Circumdati, Clavati, Nidulantes and Candidi were identified. Aspergillus section Flavi was the most predominant with 57% followed by section Nigri with 27% from maize and 58% of section Flavi followed by 26% of section Nigri from the soil across the three locations. Aspergillus sections Nidulantes and Candidi were rare and only recovered from the soil samples of Kaptumo location. All the Aspergillius flavus that formed sclerotia both from the soils or maize kernels were of the L strains. In conclusion Aspergillus section Flavi was most frequent during the isolation process and dominated with Aspergillus flavus from both the maize and soil. Morphological characteristics remain the primary tool for detection and identification of Aspergillus species. The significance for high incidence of Aspergillus section Flavi is in regard to their aflatoxin production profiles that poses a health threat to the community and it is of public health concern. Morphological characteristics as a primary tool for Aspergillus identification should be embraced and more personnel with the knowledge are required since modern and faster techniques are scarce and expensive.

Fungal diversity of twelve major vegetational zones of Arunachal Himalaya, India

Soil microfungal diversity was studied with the objective to investigate variations in fungal communities along 12 diverse vegetation zones located at different altitudinal gradients in Arunachal Pradesh and to check whether the environmental conditions have an effect on the soil fungal community. Ten soil samples were collected from 0-30cm depth in each forest type and their physico-chemical properties such as pH, temperature, bulk density and organic carbon content analyzed using standard techniques. Serial dilution methodology was used for the isolation of soil fungi in Rose Bengal agar media. A total of 112 fungal types under 59 genera and 88 species were recorded from the selected soils. Altitudinal gradient and bulk density was found to have a negative effect, while soil temperature and soil pH had positive effects on the soil fungal communities. Subtropical evergreen forests showed maximum fungal diversity followed by tropical evergreen forests. Overall, Oidiodendron followed by Acremonium, Cladosporium, Humicola, Aspergillus and Penicillium were found dominant fungal genera in majority of soil samples. Distribution of Beauveria, Blastomyces, Cercospora, Metarrhizium and Rhizomucor were limited to particular soil type. Altitudinal gradient together with associated vegetation and soil physico-chemical parameters determine soil fungal distribution.

Fungi obtained on various media from soil under banana trees near Logos in Nigeria

From the soil samples collected from beneath various banana plant, &lt;i&gt;Musa paradisiaca&lt;/i&gt; L., 96 different species of soil fungi were isolated on medium: Ohio-Agar, Littmans-Agar, Martins Rose Bengal-Agar and identified. Four species of keratinophilic fungi were isolated by means of To-Ka-Va trap-hair method.

Effect of preharvest spraying Cryptococcus laurentii on postharvest decay and quality of strawberry

Application of a suspension (log 8.0/ml) of Cryptococcus laurentii prior to harvest led to a reduction in Botrytis cinerea decay of strawberries stored at 4 or 20°C, for 12 or 4days, respectively. The frequency of spraying antagonist significantly influenced disease incidence in strawberry fruit. The best inhibition of disease was achieved when fruit sprayed C. laurentii with three applications that began 6days prior to harvest, and the incidence of gray mold and natural decay treated with this method was 21% and 11%, compared with 88% and 62% in the control after storage at 20°C for 4days. A similar result occurred in the treated fruit after storage at 4°C for 12days. Dilation plate counts on Rose Bengal agar and scanning electron microscopy results showed that three applications with C. laurentii at 6, 3 and 0days before harvest improved its ability to colonize the epidermis of strawberry fruit in the greenhouse and during storage compared to single application. In addition, antagonistic yeast spraying before harvest could reduce the weight loss, delay the decrease of the firmness and ascorbic acid, but had no significant effect on the contents of soluble solids, titratable acidity and fruit surface color. These results suggested that preharvest spraying with C. laurentii might be a promising alternative to fungicide application for decay control of strawberry.