Spotters: Specimen

A) Specimen

1. Root nodules of leguminous plant

• Leguminous plants like cowpea, red gram contain root nodules formed by rhizobium.

• Rhizobium in the soil enter into the roots of leguminous plant and form nodules and establish symbiotic association.

• Bacteria derive nutrients from the plants.

• The rhizobacteria fix nitrogen which is beneficial to the plant.

2. Tikka leaf spot of groundnut plant

• Tikka leaf spot disease is a kind of fungal disease seen in groundnut leaf

• This disease is caused by Cercaspora personata.

ʉۢ Brown spots surrounded by a yellow halo appear on the upper surface of the leaf.

• The fungal spores can be demonstrated if the leaf is processed and observed under microscope.

3. Mushroom

• Mushroom is a saprophytic fungus.

•  Primary mycelium grows from basidiospores.

•  It has high protein content and edible mushrooms are used as food.

•  Example: Agaricus species and Pleurotus species.

4. Sand fly

• Bite of an infected sandfly transmits leishmania donovani infection.

•  Female sandfly during a blood meal ingest free as well as intracellular amastigotes in the blood.

• In the midgut these are transformed to flagellated promastigote.

5. Ascaris

• The adult worm of ascaris lives in the small intestine of humans

• They are large cylindrical worms with tapering ends, the anterior end being thinner than the posterior end

• The adult male worm is smaller than female worms.