Survey of airborne fungus spores at Taif, Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Fifty-eight species and one variety belonging to 25 genera were collected from the atmosphere of Taif from August 1981 to July 1982 (12 exposures for each type of media) on glucose- and cellulose-Czapek's agar plates at 28 degrees C. The total counts of sugar and cellulose-decomposing airborne fungi showed seasonal fluctuations; the maxima were recorded in winter, and the minima in summer months. Aspergillus (16.23% and 13.22% of total fungi on glucose and cellulose media, respectively), Alternaria (11.52% and 15.7%), Cladosporium (18.59% and 9.5%), Drechslera (4.7% and 10.74%), Scopulariopsis (7.33% and 6.6%) and phoma (8.12% and 11.98%) were recovered in high seasonal occurrence on the two media. Also, Penicillium (on glucose) and Ulocladium (on cellulose) were common in the air accounting for 10.73% and 7.44% of total fungi, respectively.