Isolation, identification and seasonal distribution of penicillium and aspergillus species in dal lake, Kashmir

Water samples obtained seasonally from April 2010 to March 2011 at eight different sites of Dal Lake, Kashmir were serially diluted five folds followed by spread plate technique for the isolation of Penicillium and Aspergillus species, spreading 0.1ml inoculum from the serial dilution tubes on the Petri dishes containing Rose-Bengal Streptomycin Agar medium. Out of a total 213 fungal colonies isolated six (6) species of Penicillium viz, P. caseicolum, P. commune, P. chrysogenum, P. funiculosum, P. lilacinum, Penicillium spp. and six (6) species of Aspergillus viz, A. flavus, A. fumigatus, A. japonicus, A. terreus, A. niger and Aspergillus spp. were obtained. Out of these species P. chrysogenum was the most abundant (30.99%) followed by P. funiculosum (16.43%), A. fumigatus (14.09%), A. niger (13.15%), A. flavus (9.39%), A. terreus (3.76%), P. lilacinum (3.27%), P. caseicolum (2.82%), P. commune (2.35%), A. japonicus (1.88%), Penicillium spp. and Aspergillus spp. (0.94%) each. Highest number of colonies 60 (28.17%) was obtained from site Pokhribal Nallah (PKB) followed by Tailbal Nallah (TBN) - 45(21.13%), Dal Lock Gate (DLG) and Gagribal (GB) - 28(13.14%) each, Nageen Lake (NL) - 1(8.45%), Boathall Nallah (BHN) - 15 (7.04%), Hazratbal (HB) - 11(5.17%) and Bod Dal (BD) - 8(3.76%).