Vol.6 No.2 (2011)

FUNGAL POPULATION AND DIVERSITY IN
ORGANICALLY AMENDED AGRICULTURAL SOILS OF
MEGHALAYA, INDIA

Swer, H.*, Dkhar, M. S. and Kayang, H.

Abstract:

The effect of different organic fertilisers (farm yard manure [FYM]; vermicompost [VC]; plant compost [PC] and integrated compost [INT], i.e. a combination of FYM, VC and PC in a 1:1:1 ratio) on the population and diversity of soil fungi was investigated in a maize-French bean trial. Fungal populations were much higher in
organically fertilised plots as compared to the control (CTRL) and showed a decreasing trend in the order FYM>PC>INT>VC>CTRL. Altogether, 122 fungal species and two sterile mycelia were isolated from all the plots of which 25 fungal genera belonged to Deuteromycotina, seven to Ascomycotina, four to ygomycotina
and one to Mastigomycotina. The most common genera isolated from all the plots include Penicillium, Aspergillus, Acremonium, Fusarium, Mortierella, Mucor, Paecilomyces, Talaromyces, Trichoderma and Verticillium. Significant positive correlations between fungal populations and Corg were observed in all the
organic amended plots. The organic matter level in the organically managed soil systems can play a pivotal role in fungal growth, sporulation and diversity.

Keywords: organic, compost, microbial, fertility, physical properties, chemical properties.

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