Journal of Environmental Biology

Antifungal potential of hot spring water of Manikaran,

Himachal Pradesh (India)

S. Devi¹* and S. S. Kanwar²

¹Department of Basic Sciences, College of Forestry, Dr. Y.S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry-Nauni, Solan ? 173 230, India

²Department of Microbiology, College of Basic Sciences, CSK, Himachal Pradesh Agricultural University, Palampur ? 176 062, India

*Corresponding Author E-mail: sunitachamba@gmail.com

Key words

Antifungal activity,

Fungal diversity,

Hot spring,?

Phytopathogens,

Thermophilic fungi 

Publication Data

Paper received : 12.05.2015

Revised received : 18.01.2016

Re-revised received : 29.03.2016

Accepted : 07.06.2016

Abstract

Aim: Natural geothermal sites are considered as the most favourable locations for the isolation of thermophilic microorganisms. Many researchers have isolated thermophilic fungi from various hot springs located worldwide viz. United States, Argentina, China, Indonesia, Taiwan, India etc. The present study aimed to determine the diversity of culturable thermotolerant and/or thermophilic fungal species in hot spring of Manikaran, Himachal Pradesh (India).

?

Methodology: Potato dextrose agar (PDA), Sabouraud dextrose agar (SDA) and yeast starch agar media were used to determine? the fungal diversity.

Results: No fungal growth was detected on PDA, SDA and yeast starch agar media after repeated examinations. Therefore, an attempt was made to check antifungal activity of water on some known fungal plant pathogens viz. Sclerotium rolfsii, Fusarium oxysporum, Sclerotinia sclerotiorum and Pythium aphanidermatum. A strong inhibition in the growth of these pathogens was observed on potato dextrose agar medium prepared with Manikaran hot spring water..

Interpretation: This inhibition might be mediated through some volatile compounds as evident from the results of antagonistic assay used for the detection of volatile antifungal compounds as shown below in the figure. This is the first report on Manikaran hot spring water where antifungal activity was observed, though earlier workers have reported the presence of thermotolerant fungi in this water. 

Copyright ? 2017 Triveni Enterprises. All rights reserved. No part of the Journal can be reproduced in any form without prior permission. Responsibility regarding the authenticity of the data, and the acceptability of the conclusions enforced or derived, rest completely with the author(s).