Lab 2 Report

Objective
 The objective of the lab was to practice on subculturing techniques and also to use Riddell slide mounting technique to look at different structures of different Aspergillus species.

Materials and Methods

1. Cut a block agar 1cm x 1cm
2. Place the block on the surface of the agar
3. Inoculate the agar block at its center
4. Place a sterile coverslip on the cut agar block
5. Incubate at 25C for 2-3 days until sporulation occurs
6. Get the slide and place it on a drop of water onto a clean glass slide and observe under a microscope

Results

 Alternaria brassicola conidia and conidiophores

                                           Alternaria conidia and conidiophores

Chlamidosporium spp chlamidopsores

                                                        Aspergillus flavus

                                            Aspergillus nidulus

                                                   Aspergillus nidulus  

                                           Aspergillus parasitica

                                              Aspergillus sojae

                                                Aspergillus sojae

                                          Aspergillus tamari

                                             Aspergillus tamari

                                           Thelioviopsis bassicola

                                          Thelioviopsis bassicola

Thelioviopsis bassicola

Discussion
Riddell slide mounting technique and also some of its modified techniques proved to be a powerful and effective technique to observe delicate fungal structures without distorting them on the slide as in other techniques such as the squash mounts. It is however, important ensure that the slides made using the Riddell mounting technique must be done 3-4 after incubation as sometimes the fungal species may over grow on the cover slip resulting in a too crowded slide.

Conclusion
Riddell slide mounting technique and some modified version of this technique allows observation of intact fungal structures, in this case it was possible to identify Aspergillus spp and group them on whether they were bisereate or unisereate.