Studies on mycoflora of salt marshes in Egypt. IV. Osmophilic fungi.

Ninety-five species and seven varieties which belong to thirty-nine genera were isolated from 74 soil samples from salt marshes. At 28 degrees C, on 30% sucrose Czapek's agar, ninety species and four varieties which belong to thirty-six genera were encountered, from which A. niger, A. fumigatus A. terreus and P. notatum were the most frequent. On 60% sucrose Czapek's agar, sixty-three species and three varieties were recovered which belong to twenty-five genera, from which A. niger, A. fumigatus, Cladosporium herbarum and A. terreus were the most frequent. At 45 degrees C, on 30% sucrose, sixteen species and four varieties were identified but on 60% sucrose, fourteen species and three varieties were isolated. A fumigatus and A. niger were the most frequent on both sucrose concentrations. The results reveal that the soil samples poor in total osmophilic fungi (at 28 degrees C) were significantly higher in their content of total soluble salts, Na and K and significantly lower in the average number of species per soil samples than the rich ones; the difference was non-significant in case of organic matter.