Authors : P. Dongre and M. N. Bhajbhuje
Page Nos : 79-88
Description :
Abstract:
Mycological survey of outdoor environment of at various location of botanical garden of P.G. Department of Botany, RTM Nagpur University; Nagpur has been conducted for a period of a month at an interval of a week employing petri plate exposure method. The petri plates with sterile nutrient jelly were exposed to air in afternoon in weekly visit and after incubation diverse group of several fungal propagules spores adhered to film of nutrient jelly forms colonies in variable count. A count of altogether 3026 fungal colonies belongs to 15 genera and 21 species were recorded. Deuteromycota dominated with more than two-third of total count of colonies, representing a largest contributor followed by Ascomycota. Cladosporium contributed one-quarter of total colony count, exhibiting most dominant contributor followed by Fusarium, Alternaria, Curvularia and Aspergillus. The fungal isolates, Nigrospora, Penicillium, Pseudotorula, Rhizopus and Torula represented 1-4% of sum total colonies while others were recorded frequently with less than one per cent of total count. Greater count of fungal propagules remained viable in 2-week of January, thereafter their viability gradually declined to 20.8% in 1-week of February. Aspergillus dominated with highest four species; Alternaria, Curvularia and Fusarium represented with 2 species while other genera had single species. The prevalence of diverse group of viable fungal propagules in outdoor environment of botanical garden may cause allergic, respiratory and other incurable disorders to visitors including garden employees.
Keywords: Fungal spores, allergy, environment, frequency, mycelia
