Potato dextrose agar (PDA) is general purpose medium used for cultivation and enumeration of yeast and molds. It is also used for stimulating sporulation, for maintaining stock cultures of certain dermatophytes and for differentiation of typical varieties of dermatophytes on the basis of pigment production. It is recommended by USP, BP,EP and JP for growth of fungi. The USP lists Potato Dextrose Agar as one of the recommended media for use in the Microbial Enumeration Tests when testing non-sterile pharmaceutical products.

for isolation and enumeration of yeast and moulds from clinical, dairy and other food products