ISOLATION OF FUNGI FROM TROPICAL PEAT OF SOUTHERN INDIA

Feat samples from Sandynallah basin of the Nilgiris were screened by t hree methods for the presence of mesophilic and thermophilic filamento us fungi. The samples were collected from a depth of 62 to 244 cm; the ir radiocarbon age ranged from 3730 to >40,000 yr BP. Only 24 fungi, i ncluding one thermophilic form, could be isolated from 17 peat samples . The genus Aspergillus was the dominant form.