Mycobiota of surface sediments in marshes of Southern Iraq

Abstract EN

Twenty sediment samples were taken from ten sites in the southern marshes of Iraq and analyzed for the presence of fungi by three isolation methods.

The dilution technique yielded the highest number of genera identified (32 genera).

Phenol and acetic acid treated sediments yielded 17 and 16 genera respectively.

Phenol treatment method was more selective for ascomycetous fungi yielded the isolation of 12 genera.

Sixty seven species assigned to thirty seven genera in addition to sterile mycelia were identified.

The isolates were assigned to 43 mitosporic fungi, 20 species of ascomycetes and 4 species of zygomycetes.

The most frequent species were in decreasing order: Aspergillus terreus, A.

niger, Acremoniumkiliense, Sterile mycelia, Graphiumputredinis, Preussia dispersa, A.

fumigates, Dichotomomyces ceipii and Rhizopus sp., our findings were compared with those from similar survey on mycobiota in sediments in several parts of the world.