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Morphological Identification And Enumeration Of Freshwater Algae

Isolated From Water Bodies Of Jim Corbett National Park, Uttarakhand,

India

1*
2
1,2
Abhinav Sharma , Kiran Toppo , Rajan Kumar Gupta
1 Algology Laboratory, Plant Diversity, Systematics and Herbarium Division, CSIR-National
Botanical Research Institute, Rana Pratap Marg, Lucknow-226001, Uttar Pradesh, India

2 Laboratory of Algal Research, Department of Botany, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu
University, Varanasi-221005, Uttar Pradesh, India

* E-mail of corresponding author: toppokiran@yahoo.co.in

Orchid ID - 0000-0001-9662-1407
ABSTRACT

Microalgae are the primary producers on the earth. They are ubiquitous. They have vast
applications in science ranging from biotechnological applications, environmental

applications, and pharmaceutical industries. Commencement of phycological research
requires isolation of most promising algal strains with correct morpho-taxonomic

identification. One of the prominent sites for unexplored algal diversity is the first and oldest

National Park of India. The Jim Corbett National Park (29.53° N, 78.77° E). It has a total of
6 zones rich in algal assemblages and water bodies. Thus, the present study describes the

algal collection, culture, isolation, morphological identification, and taxonomic enumeration

of freshwater algae from Jim Corbett National Park, Uttarakhand. A total of 40 algal samples
were collected from 4 different zones i.e. Bijrani, Durga Devi, Dhikala, and Jhirna Zones

during the winter season (February), 2021. The algal samples were isolated as pure axenic
cultures by repeated streaking and spread plating at optimum culture conditions using

standard isolation and culturing techniques in BG-11, and BBM media. Morphological
identifications revealed a total of 21 pure isolates of algae belonging to different classes such

as Cyanophyceae (9), Chlorophyceae (7), Trebouxiophyceae (2), Eustigmatophyceae (1),

Bacillariophyceae (1), and Klebsormidiophyceae (1). These strains are preserved on slants
and a liquid culture of these strains is deposited with accession number in the LWG

Herbarium of CSIR-NBRI. These strains will be further investigated for increased biomass
production and the development of value-added products.

Keywords: Microalgae, Pure strains, Jim Corbett National Park, Morpho-taxonomic
identification.

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