ABSTRACT
India with its varied climatic conditions—temperate, tropical and coastal is distinct for aerobiological studies in general and aeromycological studies in particular. The credit goes to Cunningham who initiated studies of aerobiology in India (Cunningham, 1873). Currently, there are several centres where work on aerobiology and aeromycology is underway. The work done at these centres has been referred to at appropriate places here.
Environmental mycology or aeromycology constitutes one of the major aspects of aerobiology mainly because of the dominance of fungal spores in the ambient air. Aeromycological investigations take into account the identification of source, mode of release, dispersal, deposition, impaction and effects of impaction of fungal spores on various living systems. The fungal spores and hyphal fragments are commonly recorded in the air, and are important for the survival and subsequent continuation of generations. Many of the fungal spores have unique structures and the capacity to survive unfavourable environmental conditions.
Fungal spores form an important constituent of bioaerosol and they are often well adapted to airborne dispersal. In the course of evolution, 29the fungi have probably exploited the wind for their dispersal more thoroughly than any other group of organisms and consequently dominate the airspora (80%-90%).
The spores or fungal propagules are quite variable in size and shape. The spores or conidia range from 3–200 µm, most of these are about 10 µm in diameter. And they are often liberated in the air en masse and remain there for a long time.
Aeromycological studies in India have mainly been for—outdoor and indoor environments—monitoring airborne fungal spores in the atmosphere of metropolitan cities and towns, simultaneous comparative studies in urban and rural areas including air mycoflora over crop fields, quantification and biodiversity of moulds in indoor environments, experimental aspects of aeromycology, and health hazards, both to plants and human beings including animals. In the recent years more attention has been given to the allergic fungal spores suspended in various environs and causing health hazards to humans.
This chapter encompasses the knowledge gathered for aeromycology during the last two decades.
