1. Czapek’s agar:
It is used for the subculture of Aspergillus species for their differential diagnosis. It contains sucrose as C-source and nitrate as the sole source of nitrogen, useful for the general cultivation of fungi, yeasts and soil bacteria.
2. Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA):
It is a relatively rich medium for growing a wide range of fungi. Many standard procedures use a specified amount of sterile tartaric acid (10%) to lower the pH of this medium to 3.5 +/- 0.1, inhibiting bacterial growth. Chloramphenicol acts as a selective agent to inhibit bacterial overgrowth of competing microorganisms from mixed specimens, while permitting the selective isolation of fungi.
3. Sabouraud’s dextrose agar (SDA): Sabouraud Dextrose Agar (SDA) is a selective medium primarily used for the isolation of dermatophytes, other fungi and yeasts but can also grow filamentous bacteria such as Nocardia. Sabouraud agar is used to culture fungi and has a low pH that inhibits the growth of most bacteria; it also contains the antibiotic gentamicin to specifically inhibit the growth of Gram-negative bacteria. Hay infusion agar is specific for the culturing of slime moulds. The acidic pH of this medium (pH about 5.0) inhibits the growth of bacteria but permits the growth of yeasts and most filamentous fungi. Antibacterial agents (with antibiotics) can also be added to augment the antibacterial effect.
4. Brain-heart infusion agar (BHIA). Malt extract and less commonly brain heart infusion medium. To prevent contamination of the medium by bacteria, chloramphenicol is used, but prevents the growth of Actinomyces, which others grows well on Sabouraud dextrose agar.
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