Distribution and Seasonal Occurrence of Aquatic Phycomycetes in Water and Submerged Mud in El-Ibrahimia Canal (Upper Egypt)

From 33 tested grains and seeds, sesame, hemp seeds, barley and maize grains proved to be best baits for aquatic phycomycetes in El-Ibrahimia Canal. The richest periods in aquatic fungi were of low or moderate temperature months and the poorest were summer months. Organic matter contents of water and mud samples showed its highest values in winter months where pH values did not perform any regular seasonal variation. Achlya was the most prevalent genus in water samples (23 months) while Dictyuchus and Pythium were the most common genera in submerged mud (each 24 months) Apodachlya, Ganopodya, Calyptralegnia, Leptomitus and Woronina emerged from water samples only while Aqualindrella, Blastocladia, Blastocladiella, Leptolegnia and Nowakowskia emerged from submerged mud. Achlya dubia, A. proliferoides, A. debaryana, A. carolinina, A. polyandra, A. combrica, A. oligacantha, A. apiculata, A. hypoyna, A. radiosa, Sap-rolegnia megasperma, S. anisospora, E. parasitica, S. diclina, S. furcata, S. trufosa, S. uliginosa, S. litoralis, Allomyces javanicus, Isoachlya monilifera, I. eccentrica and Pilobolus kelinii emerged from surface water only. On other side, Pythium echinulatum, P. intermeduim, Phytophthora cinchonae, Brevilegnia unisperma var. Delica, Isoachlya unispora and Pilobolus nanus emerged from submerged mud. Saprolegnia disappeared completely during summer months in both surface water and submerged mud samples.