Role of different variables on site-specific isolation and distribution patterns of soil mycoflora from Varanasi

Abstract

During present study, 513 isolates were recovered from 15 different experimental sites. For fungal recovery, PDA medium proved better over Czapek's dox agar medium (CDA), while Waksman dilution method showed higher isolates recovery than Warcup's soil plate method. Thirty filamentous fungi were recovered of which Aspergillus, Alternaria, Cladosporium, and Fusarium were dominant. Aspergillus niger and A. fumigatus showed a high frequency of occurrence and were isolated @ 80 ×103 CFU/g and 47× 103 CFU/g, respectively from dry, moist and humid soil samples, while Penicillium notatum (37×103 CFU/g), Nigrospora oryzae (30 ×103 CFU/g), Rhizopus nigricans (32×103 CFU/g), Trichoderma viride (24×103 CFU/g) were isolated with moderate frequency. Fifty three isolates were recovered from site 10 (Agriculture field, BHU) which was highest whereas, 12 isolates were recovered from site 1 (Cantt Railways Station). Consequently, the site 10 had the maximum CFU value (53×103 CFU/g) whereas site 1 had the lowest (12 ×103 CFU/g). A higher percentage of soil fungi isolated have preferred the acidic pH range. Mean of fungal isolates was higher in moist (37.60), followed by humid (34.50) and dry (30.20) conditions. Bray-Curtis cluster analysis was done to understand that several variables are responsible for the diversity and occurrence of soil fungi.