Isolation and Identification of Soil Mycoflora in the Upland and Lowland Soils of Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, Sokoto State

A total of 14 different fungal species belonging to 7 genera were isolated from the upland and lowland soils of Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, between October to December, 2015. The mycoflora were isolated using dilution plate technique on Potato dextrose agar amended by 1% streptomycin. Identification was made microscopically using the lacto-phenol cotton blue method and macroscopically by comparing the cultural and morphological features with the help of authentic fungal manual and taxonomic key. The identified species are; Aspergillus niger, A. flavus, A. fumigatus, A. nidulans, A. oryzae, Alternaria longifes, Fusarium oxysporum, F. solani, F. mangifera, Rhizopus stolonifer, R. orizae, Saccharomyces cerevisae, Trichoderma harzianum and Trichophytum quallinum. The highest number of fungi (50 isolates) were obtained from lowland uncultivated soils (D), followed by the upland uncultivated soils (B) with about 34 strains, and the least (22 isolates) were obtained from upland cultivated soils (A) out of the total 132 isolates. Variations between sites were statistically analyzed.

Isolation of Potential Alkaliphilic Cellulase-Producer Strains from Limestone Area of Perlis

Alkaliphilic cellulases-producer fungi were isolated from soil of limestone areas in Perlis. The potential strain was isolated by soil dilution plate method on enriched selective medium using CMC as substrate at different pH levels. Eleven isolates of different morphological colonies were screened using the hydrolysis capacity test by Gram’s iodine. Out of eleven colonies, five showed positive results as the hydrolysis zone formed. BK1 showed the highest hydrolysis capacity among all sample strains for every pH levels. Eventually, four strains were selected to be further explored as cellulolytic fungi for the production of alkaline cellulase in the future.

Analysis on Cultivable Fungal Community Structures in Farmland Soil in Different Latitudes of Heilongjiang Province

Soil microorganism is a very important component part of soil ecosystem, this paper studied composition and diversity of the cultivable fungal communities in farmland soil in Tahe, Dailing, Maoershan three different latitude regions by means of soil dilution plate and soil particle plate and culture on standard media. The results indicated that the tendency of number of cultivable fungal in farmland soil in different regions: Tahe>Dailing>Maoershan. Scopulariopsis, Chaetomium, Neurospor, Cephalosporium, Aureobasidium and Penicillium occured in farmland soil of three samples, and they were common groups. The cultivable fungal diversities in farmland soil of three sampling regions were no significantly difference, and Dailing was the highest in four different diversity indexes.

Microfungi in the soil beneath common oak and their effect on Armillaria occurrence

Microfungal assemblages in a soil beneath 30- and 50·year-old oaks and their 2-year-old stumps were studied using the soil dilution plate method. A total of 98 culturable microfungi were isolated. Compared to the living oaks before felling and the control living oaks, the density of <i>Mortierella macrocystis, Penicillium jonczewskii, Pseudogymnoascus roseus Sporothrix schenckii, Tolypoccladiumum inflatum</i> and <i>Umbelopsis vinacea</i> sigificantly inacased in the soil beneath slumps in the 32- and 52-year-old stands. Density of <i>Aspergillus kanagawaensis, Monodictys lepraria, P. daleae</i> and sterile dematiaceous hyphomycetes increased significantly in the 32-year-old stand and <i>Chrysosporium merdarium</i> in the 52·year-old stand. These fungi are known 'stimulants' of <i>Armillaria</i> rhizomorph formation. It is suggested that the increase in density of <i>Armillaria</i> rhizomorph 'stimulants' in a soil beneath oak stumps may increase the possibility of colonization of stumps by <i>Armillaria</i>.

Sludy of the Dermatophytes in the Students Houses of Minia University, Egypt

A survey of dermatophytes and other fungi was carried out in 100 air - dust samples from bedrooms and dinning halls of male and female student resident houses. By hair baiting technique the common dermatophytes were obtained namely <i>Microsporum canis, M. gypseum</i> and <i>Trichophyton mtntagrophytes</i>. Also five species of <i>Chrysasporium</i> were isolated in the following order of dominance <i>C. tropicum, C. keratinophilum, C. indicum, C. pannicola</i> and <i>C. quecnslandicum</i>. By dilution plate method, 37 species representing 20 genera of which <i>Aspergilus niger, A. flavus, Rhizopus nigricans, Penicillium chrysogenum</i> and <i>Cladosporium cladosporioides</i> were most frequently isolated.

Screening on Antagonistic Actinomycetes of Pepper Anthracnose

The 87 strains actinomycetes were separated and purificated from soil by dilution plate separation method, with pepper anthracnose (Colletotrichum gloeosporioides) as indicator pathogens, these actinomycetes had primary and secondary screening screened by cross method and mycelial growth inhibition method respectively, finally, three actinomycetes had obvious antimicrobial activity separated.

Cellulose-decomposing fungi in Peatlands occupied by invasive moss Campylopus introflexus

Repečkienė J., Jukonienė I., Salina O., 2012: Cellulose-decomposing fungi in peatlands occupied by invasive moss Campylopus introflexus [Celiuliozę skaidantys grybai durpynuose, kuriuose plinta invazinė samana Campylopusintroflexus]. - Bot. Lith., 18(1): 46-57. Studies on the abundance and genera composition of cellulose-decomposing fungi in four differently disturbed peatlands occupied by invasive moss Campylopus introflexus were carried out in autumn, spring and summer seasons. The abundance of fungi under C. introflexus was compared with the abundance of fungal communities under other plants occupying the same habitats (Polytrichum strictum, Eriophorum angustifolium, Callunavulgaris) and bare peat. The serial dilution plate technique was applied for isolation and enumeration of cellulose- decomposing fungi. The large amount of organic matter as well as acidic reaction of peat creates favourable conditions for the development of fungi at the studied sites. The number of cellulose-decomposing fungi depended on the peatland type, prevailing plants and season. The richness of fungal genera (15) was determined under Campylopus introflexus. Fungal isolates belonging to the Penicillium, Trichoderma, Fusarium genera and the Zygomycetes class prevailed.

Screening of a Flocculant-Producing Strain and Optimal Conditions for Production of Bioflocculant

A bioflocculant-producing strain M-3 with high flocculating activity was isolated from soil by conventional panel lineation and dilution-plate methods. It was preliminarily identified as Aspergillus based on its morphological and physiological characteristics of colony. The single factor experiments were conducted to optimize cultivating factors affecting flocculating activity, the optimal culture conditions were found to be as follows: glucose 10 g/L, glutamate 2 g/L, cultivating time 36 h, cultivating temperature 37 oC, shaking speed 120 r/min, initial pH 10. The strain could produce high effective flocculants with flocculating activity of 98.3% for kaolin clay suspension, which afforded high possibility of its practical use.