IJFANS International Journal of Food and Nutritional Sciences

ISSN PRINT 2319 1775 Online 2320-7876

A PRELIMINARY STUDY ON THE OCCURRENCE OF KERATINOPHILIC FUNGI IN REGIONAL PARKS OF KOTA, RAJASTHAN

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Pallavi Sharma, Shweta Gupta, Neha Chauhan, and Shubhi Sharma

Abstract

Keratinophilic fungi are said to be a group of fungi that colonize various kind of keratinous substrates degrading them to components of low molecular weight. The aim of this study was to isolate and identify keratinophilic fungal flora from soil sample of Regional Park of Kota (Rajasthan). A total no. of 20 soil samples were screened out for the presence of Keratinophilic fungi by using hair baiting technique. These soil samples are rich in pathogenic Keratinophilic fungi including dermatophytes belongs to 6 genera and 7 species The Keratinophilic fungi isolates includes Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus flavus, Penicillium species, Microsporum gypsum, Fusarium species, Trichophyton rubrum and Chrysosporium tropicum. Aspergillus niger was found abundant in the isolates while the Microsporum gypseum was found to be the second prevalent fungi. This study will help in the future research related to the degradation of keratin which is abundant source of protein and very difficult to degrade. Hence to prevent the environment from such kind of products the microorganisms play very important role.

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