Ahmed, Fatima

Shabbir, Asad

Yousaf, Mohammad Osman

University of Queensland eSpace

Pak. J. Bot., 41(4): 1975-1980, 2009. 
SOME STUDIES ON VERTICAL PROFILE OF AIR BORNE 
MYCOFLORA OF LAHORE 
 
ASAD SHABBIR1*, FATIMA AHMED1 AND MOHAMMAD OSMAN YOUSAF2 
 
1Institute of Mycology and Plant Pathology, University of the Punjab, Lahore-54590, Pakistan 
2Allergy and Asthma Institute, Islamabad, Pakistan. 
 
Abstract 
 
A survey of vertical profile of air-borne fungal spore concentration of district Lahore was 
carried out from October 2006 to September 2007. A site close to academic block of University of 
the Punjab, Quaid-e-Azam campus was selected for study. The concentration of atmospheric fungal 
spores was studied by using 9 cm diameter Petri dishes containing MEA and PDA media exposed 
to different levels of heights viz.;  0, 1.82 and 3.63 m for five minutes. The fungal colonies 
appeared were identified on the basis of their microscopic and macroscopic morphology. The 
results showed an incidence of several different fungal species with four major genera viz; 
Alternaria, Cladosporium, Aspergillus and Penicillium. The highest growth of fungal colonies was 
observed in the month of May. The monthly variation of air-borne fungi was studied both 
qualitatively and quantitatively. 
 
Introduction 
 
Over the last few years a significant progress has been observed in the study of air-
borne fungi, because of the medical and phytopathological consequences associated with 
fungal spores (Picco & Rodolfi, 2000). Fungal allergy is a worldwide problem and 
depending on geographic and climatic conditions, the prevalence of allergy to molds 
might be as high as 30% (Horner et al, 1995). Fungal spore constitute a major component 
of airborne spore flora hence it is important to study the aeromycology of populated areas 
on regular basis. 
With reference to Pakistan, only scattered information is available in the form of 
measurements done at some specific outdoor and indoor environments (Shah & Bashir, 
2008; Nasim et al., 1998; Bajwa et al., 1995). Sensitization to fungi particularly 
Alternaria alternata (Fries) Keissler. has been linked to presence, persistent and severity 
of asthma (Bush & Prochnau, 2004). Cladosporium herbarum (Pers.) Link. represents 
another example of allergenic air-borne fungal species of worldwide occurrence (Swärd-
Nordmo et al., 1989). 
The major aim of this study was to provide a baseline data on the vertical profile of 
myco-flora of Lahore throughout the year. 
 
Materials and Methods 
 
The aero-mycological data collection was started from October 2006 and continued 
till September 2007. The study was conducted near the academic block of University of 
the Punjab Quaid-e-Azam campus, Lahore.  
*Corresponding author: asad@uq.edu.au; Phone # +617 33469547 
Ph.D. Scholar, School of Land Crop & Food Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, 
Old, 4072, Australia. 
ASAD SHABBIR ET AL., 1976 
The site was sampled every month and two different media were used viz; Potato 
Dextrose Agar (PDA) and Malt Extract Agar (MEA) with dissolved Streptomycin to 
exclude bacterial colonies. Ten Petri dishes (9 cm in diameter) were exposed at different 
height levels of 0, 1.82 and 3.63 m for 5 min in the air at 10:00 am following cultural 
plate exposure method (Gregory, 1973). The exposed Petri dishes were then incubated at 
25±1oC for 5 to 10 days and regularly examined. Fungal colonies appeared were counted 
and sub-cultured on appropriate media for identification. 
 
Results and Discussions 
 
Data calculated on percentage of different fungal species on MEA medium revealed 
that Aspergillus niger van Tieghem., Alteraria alternata, Cladosporium herbarum, 
Drechslera australiensis Bugnicourt Subramanian & Jain. were most frequently occurring 
fungal species with their year round appearance except for D. australiensis being absent 
only in the month of January. It was noticed that almost all of the above mentioned species 
were also documented from three selected levels of sampling. Maximum number of fungal 
species (11) was recorded during the month of January followed by March with a total of 
10 species (Table 1). However, it appeared from the data that more fungal species present at 
all the three sampling heights in the month of March than in any other part of the year. This 
could be due to availability of relatively high moisture in the air with an increasing 
temperature during the spring months.  
Aspergillus niger colonies were found to be maximum during the month of 
December (66.3%) followed by Fusarium solani f. pisi (F.R. Jones) in May (41%) and A. 
alternata in March (33.3%) (Table 1). The data also revealed that A. niger isolates prefer 
cold weather, while A. alternata and F. solani are well represented in moderate and hot 
weather respectively. It was further observed that some fungal species were consistent 
with the sampling height, like that of Mucor sp., which was found only at 1.82 m height 
level and Monilia sitophila Montagne. being absent at above 1.82 m levels. It was also 
found that spores of some fungal species appear only in a particular season like that of 
Aspergillus flavus Johann Heinrich Friedrich Link., Fusarium dimerum Penzig, Mucor 
sp., Monilia sitophila being consistent with the month of September on both MEA and 
PDA media (Table 1 & 2). Cladosporium herbarum, A. niger and A. alternata have been 
reported to be major allergy causing fungal agents (Swärd-Nordmo et al., 1989) and 
unfortunately, in the this study, they were observed to be present in year round at all the 
selected sampling heights.  
Data recorded on the number of fungal colonies on different media at three sampling 
levels showed that at ground level maximum number of colonies (17) were recorded in 
June on PDA followed by April and October. This high appearance of colony number in 
summer may be due to the availability of extra moisture in the air. Dale et al. (2003) had 
also noticed that fungal spores as aeroallergens increase to very high level in late 
summer.  On MEA, the colony number was almost equal during March to July 2007 at 
1.82 m level, and then this gradually declined till February being lowest in terms of 
number of fungal colonies counted. However, on PDA, minimum number of fungal 
colonies were counted in January and maximum in May (Figure 2). It was noticed that at 
3.63 m, the number of colonies reported were 15 on MEA in May (Figure. 1) followed by 
April then a gradual decline was observed. On PDA, a similar pattern was noticed with 
maximum colonies (13) represented in the month of May on MEA. It is concluded from 
this study that maximum fungal spore may be present in the month of May and then there 
is a gradual decline for the rest of months to follow. 
 
VERTICAL PROFILE OF AIR BORNE MYCOFLORA OF LAHORE 1977
 
ASAD SHABBIR ET AL., 1978 
 
VERTICAL PROFILE OF AIR BORNE MYCOFLORA OF LAHORE 1979
A high incidence of Aspergillus and Penicillium spp. may attributed to surrounding 
presence of vegetation with high relative humidity and temperatures. Most of the fungal 
air spora are suspected to come from the vegetation (Awad, 2005) rather than from soil. 
The phylloplanes can allow for the growth of several saprophytic and parasitic fungi 
which become a significant source of air spora (Picco & Rodolfi 2000).  
 
Malt Extract Agar
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
0 m 1.82 m 3.63 m
Sampling heights
N
o.
 o
f f
un
ga
l c
ol
on
ie
s
January February March April
May June  July August
September October November December
 
Fig. 1. No. of fungal colonies appeared each month at different height levels on MEA medium. 
 
 
Potato Dextrose Agar
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
0 m 1.82 m 3.63 m
Sampling heights
N
o.
 o
f f
un
ga
l c
ol
on
ie
s
 
Fig. 2. No. of fungal colonies appeared each month at different height levels on PDA medium. 
 
 
 
 
ASAD SHABBIR ET AL., 1980 
Acknowledgments 
 
Authors are thankful to the staff of First Fungal Culture Bank of Pakistan (FCBP) 
University of the Punjab for providing facilities and help in identification of fungi. 
 
 
References 
 
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(Received for publication 10 November 2008) 


Some studies on vertical profile of air borne mycoflora of Lahore

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Some studies on vertical profile of air borne mycoflora of Lahore

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