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AIRBORNE FUNGAL FLORA OF KARACHI, PAKISTAN

TOQEER AHMED RAO, ABDUL HAKEEM SHAIKH AND MOINUDDIN AHMED

Abstract: Investigations in the airborne mycoflora of Karachi was carried out using Spore Trapper technique along with culture media Petri plate technique. In order to collect different types of airborne fungal spores, five sites were selected for installing the spore trappers. In the course of collected spores, different types of fungal spores were identified. The study revealed that the fungal spores were the major components of the air micro flora of the environment of Karachi. These microorganisms were present throughout the year with different mean values in different seasons. Normally fungi were recorded more in summer than in winter season. During the study, different types of spores viz., Alternaria solani, Aspergillus candidus, A. flavus, A. fumigatus, A. niger, A. terreus, A. wentii, Curvularia clavata, Drechslera dematioidea and Penicillium notatum were found from five selected sites. These fungi are the major spora of the atmospheric air of Karachi in all seasons.

Department of Botany, Federal Urdu University of Arts, Science and Technology, Gulshan-e-Iqbal Campus, Karachi-75300, Pakistan.

Corresponding author's e-mail: toqeer81@yahoo.com