2.3 Slide Culture Preparation
Slide culture technique was employed to study the cultural characteristics of Isolate C.
In a small Petridish, after placing a sterile filter paper and some sterile distilled water, a
few centimeters apart, two pieces of glass rods were placed on the filter paper. Clean,
alcohol flamed and heat sterilized glass slide was placed on the rods. Using a sterile
spatula, a small square (about 1 x 1 cm) of agar block was cut from the Potato
Dextrose Agar (PDA) and placed on the centre of the slide. Using a needle, the agar
was inoculated with a small amount of A. niger strain under test on each of the four
sides of the block. A heat-sterilized cover slip was placed over the block and pressed
down gently. It was incubated at 280C and examined daily for sufficient growth. When
good growth was appeared, a drop of Lacto Phenol Aniline Blue (LPAB) was placed
on a clean slide, the cover slip was removed using forceps and passed the top side of
the cover slip in front of the incinerator opening to fix and placed it over the LPAB on
the slide. The preparation was examined under the light microscope.