Halalophilc and halotolerant fungi in cultivated dessert and salt marsh soils from Egypt

One hundred halophilic and halotolerant species in addition to 3 varieties belonging to 27 genera were collccted from 25 samples of cultivated desert and saline soils from different habitats in Egypt on 5-25%. NaCl-Czapek's agar at 28°C(±2°C>. The results reveal that there were no chancteristic halophilic and halotolerant fungi of these various types of soils. The growth of all recovered fungi was tested in medi containing 5-25% sodium chloride. Almost all halophilic fungi (growing better on 5-25% than on O% sodium chloride) were Aspergillus species. Most of the highly and fairly halotolerant fungi were Aspergillus and Penicillium species. All test fungi were halophilic or halotolerant.