Soil mycoflora in tomato fields

Density and species richness of fungal communities in soils ofFusarium infested and non-infested tomato-growing localities were studied by comparison of rhizoplanes, rhizospheres, and root-free soils. The rhizosphere soils harbored the highest counts of fungi, followed by root-free soil and rhizoplanes in both localities. Species richness was high in the rhizosphere and root-free soil but distinctly low in the rhizoplane. The population density of the zhizosphere and the rhizoplane showed a significant difference between infested and non-infested localities.     

The mycoflora of gari

Mycological studies have been carried out on market samples of gari, a ready-to-use staple fermentation product of cassava ( Manihot esculenta cranz ). Commercial and industrial samples were analysed. The moisture contents of samples varied from 7% to 17% while the water activity ( a _w) varied from 0·52 to 0·85 and the pH of samples ranged from 3·9 to 7·26. Several fungi were isolated from the commercial samples while the industrial packaged samples were relatively mould-free. Moulds isolated were mainly Aspergillus spp., Penicillium spp., and several Mucorales, e.g. Rhizopus sp., Syncephalastrum sp., Mucor sp. and Circinella sp.     

Associated mycoflora of rye bread

F. Lund, O. Filtenborg, S. Westall And J.C. Frisvad. 1996. Penicillium roqueforti (27%), P. corylophilum (20%) and Eurotium (15%) made up the important mycoflora associated with rye bread on 3425 identified fungi isolates. These fungi were dominant as spoilers of packaged rye bread in almost every month of a 4 year investigation. Penicillium decumbens (3%), Paecilomyces variotii (8%) and Aspergillus flavus (5%) were found more rarely, but were the major species found over periods of a few months. Penicillium commune (5%), P. Solitum (4%), A. niger (4%) and Mucor species (2%) were a constant, but small, part of the mycoflora of rye bread. Identification of the fungi in the production environmentl in a rye bread factory showed the locality of potential contamination sources. Eliminationl of the contmination sources lby improved cleaning and disinfection procedures quickly resulted in a significant reduction in the frequency of mould growth in the packaged rye bread.     

Soil mycoflora from the Dead Sea Oases of Ein Gedi and Einot Zuqim (Israel)

Samples were taken from the top 10 cm of soils from 24 points in the Ein Gedi area. Among 329 isolates, 142 species were identified: 11 genera of ascomycetes, one genus of coelomycetes, 28 genera of hyphomycetes, 7 genera of zygomycetes and one yeast, in addition to some unidentified basidiomycetes. The hyphomycetes were represented by 17 dematiaceous, 9 mucedinaceous and two tuberculariaceous. Melanconiaceous and stilbellaceous genera were not found. Two new varieties of Microascus recently described were reisolated. No strict thermophiles or halophiles were obtained. There is apparently no very characteristic or specific fungal flora of the Dead Sea Oases although it was different from that found in the desert soil surrounding this area.     

The mycoflora of the subhuman primates

Summary For documentation of the mycoflora of the baboon, 127 vaginal and 165 rectal swabs were taken from males and females in captivity. A total of 176 and 171 yeast isolates were obtained from the vagina and rectum respectively. Candida was found to be the yeast most frequently found in both of these sites.C. albicans formed 14.6 % of the rectal yeasts and 7.9 % of the vaginal yeasts.No significant differences were found between the rectal isolates from the males and those from the females in the baboons. Furthermore, there is a strong indication that the mycoflora of both the rectum and the vagina of the baboon is similar to that of human beings, from both a qualitative and a quantitative point of view.This study was supported by U.S.P.H.S. Grant 5-R01-HE-3834-07.     

Cotton boll mycoflora from Sudan

Flower pedicels, more contaminated with moulds than cotton boll apices, contributed to the infection of the cellulose-rich locks. Similar to the total number of contaminants recovered from all boll segments, locks mycoflora was also significantly enhanced with boll age. Number of isolates from Gezira consistently conformed with changes in atmospheric relative humidity attaining a maximum in the 4th week following flower opening. Locks from the relatively dry and hot Shambat area exhibited an inconsistent mycofloral development although they collected 6.3% more infection than those picked from Gezira. An insignificant correlation between boll age and either pedicel or boll apex ifection was recorded. The relatively humid Gezira not only stimulated greater mould isolates (49.4% over Shambat's), but provided for 52.3% more infected boll apices over Shambat's.Twenty fungal genera and species, 90% of which were cellulolytic (2), were recovered from 1–7 week-old green bolls. Aspergillus nidulans and Cladosporium herbarum unintermittently persisted throughout the sampling duration. Abundance of these two contaminants insignificantly matched with either boll age or sampling area. Eurotium was first record to native lint.     

Endoglucanase production by paper-degrading mycoflora

Fourteen fungal species, namely Aspergillus flavus, A. fumigatus, A. niger, A. ustus, Penicillium islandicum, P. wortmannii, Memnoniella echinata, Cladosporium herbarum, Stachybotrys atra, Chaetomium globosum, Fusarium oxysporum, Torula herbarum, Alternaria alternata and Curvularia uncinata were isolated from different grades of paper. They differ in their distribution on various kinds of paper and also in relative occurrence. While seasonal influence on mycoflora was observed, most of the moulds were capable of growing in all three seasons examined (summer, winter, rainy season). The moulds were cellulolytic in nature and endoglucanase activity was greatest in Aspergillus flavus, A. niger, A. fumigatus, P. wortmannii and P. islandicum.     

Peanut-pod mycoflora and kernel infection

Summary The mycoflora in soil clinging to dry pods of peanuts of the Spanish variety Argentine was sampled in 2 experiments by serially washing pods for increasing periods in changes of sterile water. Of the 9 principal fungi found,Aspergillus niger, A. flavus, A. terreus, Rhizopus spp. andSclerotium bataticola were present initially in relatively small numbers and decreased rapidly in subsequent dilutions. This decrease paralleled a decrease in weight of suspended material and in percentage of soil and organic particles greater than 0.016 mm in size.Penicillium funiculosum, P. rubrum, P. citrinum, andFusarium spp. were found in large numbers and increased or slowly decreased in numbers in subsequent dilutions. In some instances variations in numbers followed trends of percentages of soil and organic particles less than 0.016 mm in size.When dry pods with this known mycoflora were allowed to hydrate over a 6-day period at 26°, 32°, or 38°C, there was extensive pod penetration and kernel infection byA. niger, A. flavus, S. bataticola andRhizopus spp. but not by other fungi. The degree ofA. flavus andA. niger infection increased with increasing temperatures.Approved by the Director as Journal Series Paper No. 135.     

The mycoflora of the subhuman primates

Summary Culture studies revealed that 54.3 % of 70 mouth samples and 15.1 % of 371 throat samples from captive male and female baboons contained yeasts.Candida albicans was found to be the highest single species isolated from the oral cavity of both sexes, with the exception ofTrichosporon, which was slightly higher in the mouths of female baboons.There is a slight indication that the yeast flora of the female oral cavity is higher than that of the male. Similarly, there is a close parallelism between the oral mycoflora of human beings and that of the baboons studied.     

The mycoflora of peanuts in Egypt

Twenty-six genera and Sixty-six species, in addition to two varieties of Aspergillus nidulans and one variety of Humicola grisea were isolated from 80 peanut seed (uncovered or covered within shell at the time of sampling) samples and 40 samples of shells collected from different places in Egypt.At 28 °C, the broadest spectrum of genera and species was recorded in the shells (21 genera and 53 species), followed by the naked seeds (16 genera and 38 species) and the covered seeds (17 genera and 33 species). Aspergillus and Penicillium were regularly the most common genera in the three substrates. A. niger, A. fumigatus, A. flavus A. terreus, A. ochraceus and P. funiculosum were generally the most common fungal species recovered from the three substrates. A. flavus was represented in 80%, 60% and 80% of the samples constituting 16.1%, 8.4% and 27.2% of the total count of fungi of the shells, covered and uncovered seeds respectively.At 45 °C, nine genera and sixteen species were collected of which Aspergillus fumigatus was extremely dominant in the three substrates, followed by A. terreus and A. niger. Penicillium was completely eliminated.     

The mycoflora of the subhuman primates

Summary Swabs were collected from both nose and ear of a total of 105 male and female baboons. Samples were collected within 72 hours after the arrival of the animal from Kenya, and at 1, 2, 3, 6, 9, 12, 18, 24, 30, and 36 months thereafter. Similarly contents from large and small intestines of 29 sacrificed captive baboons and 162 free-living animals were studied for their yeast flora.A total of 505 and 588 yeast isolates were obtained from the ear and nose respectively. The intestinal contents, yielded a total of 109 isolates. The total yeast indices of the ear and nose were very similar quantitatively, and much higher than either of the small or large intestinal contents indices.There was no significant differences of mycological flora collected from females and males.     

Biodegradation of rice stumps by soil mycoflora

Summary Cellulose and lignin contents in left-overs of rice stump decreased due to decay caused by soil mycoflora. The loss of cellulose and lignin was considerable in presence of Curvularia and Fusarium respectively. Other tested mycoflora could also destroy cellulose and lignin to some extent. The amount of loss of cellulose and lignin increased with time of incubation of the tested mycoflora.     

Study on the mycoflora of Egyptian soils

Fifty genera and 155 species, in addition to three varieties of Aspergillus nidulans, were isolated from 100 soil samples collected from different localities in Egypt. Aspergillus (33 species in addition to 3 varieties of A. nidulans), Penicillium (46 species), Fusarium (6 species) and Mucor (4 species) were of high occurrence, from which A. niger, A. fumigatus, A. terreus, M. racemosus, P. notatum, P. chrysogenum and A. flavus were dominant. Five genera were of moderate occurrence and these were Humicola, Myrothecium, Rhizopus, Cochliobolus and Alternaria. Fourteen genera were of low occurrence namely, Cunninghamella, Chaetomium, Stachybotrys, Cladosporium, Syncephalastrum, Paecilomyces, Trichoderma, Scolecobasidium, Circinella, Curvularia, Ulocladium, Botryotrichum, Sepedonium and Gliocladium. Twenty-seven genera were of rare occurrence.Fourteen species were of moderate occurrence and these were A. sydowii, M. verrucaria, P. funiculosum, A. versicolor, H. grisea, F. oxysporum, A. nidulans, F. moniliforme, A. alternata, F. solani, M. hiemalis, A. candidus, R. nigricans and A. ochraceus. The remaining species were of low or rare occurrence in soils tested.Comparison between the present results and those of others showed that there is no fungal flora characteristic cultivated soils.     

一中国白酒酒曲中的丝状真菌菌群

采用6种不同的培养基,分别于25℃、32℃、42℃以及50℃培养分离从而对某一中国白酒酒曲中的丝状真菌菌群进行研究.从酒曲中共分离得到886株丝状真菌,分属于接合菌,子囊菌和无性型真菌的20属,45种.其中最为丰富的是无性型真菌(28种),其次是接合菌(10种)和子囊菌(7种).对发酵起主要作用的为那些嗜热和耐热的种属,包括:宛氏拟青霉,伞枝梨头霉,梳棉状嗜热丝孢菌,微小根毛霉,金孢霉属一种和红曲属的几个种.文中还对一些在发酵中起重要作用的丝状真菌的特性进行了探讨.     

Thermophilic mycoflora of cigarettes and cured tobacco leaves

Nine species of thermophilic fungi were obtained from retailed packets of imported and locally manufactured brands of cigarettes and from cured tobacco leaves. They include known human pathogens such asThermoascus aurantiacus Miehesensu Apinis,Mucor pusillus Lindt andMucor miehei Cooney and Emerson. Chaetomium thermophile La Touche,Humicola insolens Cooney and Emerson,Thermoascus crustaeus (Apinis and Chesters) Stolk andMucor miehei have not been previously reported on tobacco products.Fewer species were obtained from foreign cigarettes than from locally manufactured brands. A mean moisture content of 19% was recorded for imported cigarettes and 37% for Nigerian brands. The potential health hazards posed to man by the unrestricted use of tobacco products are discussed.