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Research Journal of Microbiology

Year: 2008 | Volume: 3 | Issue: 5 | Page No.: 375-385
DOI: 10.17311/jm.2008.375.385
Studies on Mycological Status of Sundried Jew`s-Mallow Leaves and Okra Fruits in Egypt
M.S. Youssef

Abstract: Thirty samples of each of sundried jew`s mallow leaves and okra fruits collected from six Governorates in Egypt were analyzed for their mould contamination and potential presence of mycotoxins. Mycological investigation revealed that twenty-six species and two varieties belonging to 13 genera of fungi were identified on Czapek`s-dextrose and potato-dextrose agar media at 28±2°C using dilution-plating method. Okra fruit samples were highly contaminated with fungal spores (total counts were 47523 and 30563 colonies g-1 sample) than jew`s mallow leaves samples (16608 and 6045 colonies), while the relative diversity and broad number of fungal genera and species was recorded on jew`s mallow leaves (10 genera, 20 species + one variety and 6 genera, 10 species) than okra fruit samples (8, 16 + 2 and 3, 9 + 1) on the two used media, respectively. Aspergillus was the highest occurrence (100% of the samples) and represented by 13 species + one variety of which, A. flavus, A. niger, A. fumigatus, A. awamori, A. foetidus and A. ficuum were the predominant. Mucor, Rhizopus, Fusarium, Myrothecium, Emericella and Cochliobolus were fungal genera isolated with different occurrences in high or/and moderate from the two plants samples tested on the two used media. Mycotoxin analysis proved that jew`s mallow leave samples were free from any detectable mycotoxins, while five samples of dried okra fruits out of 30 tested (16.7%) were proved to be toxic. It is the first record of mycotoxins contamination of okra fruits in Egypt. The ability of 347 isolates of recovered fungi was screened for production of mycotoxins and extracellular cellulase enzymes.

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How to cite this article
M.S. Youssef , 2008. Studies on Mycological Status of Sundried Jew`s-Mallow Leaves and Okra Fruits in Egypt. Research Journal of Microbiology, 3: 375-385.

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