Succession of Microfungi on Leaf Litter of Acacia catechu in Datia, Madhya Pradesh, India

Abstract

The present investigation was conducted to find out the fungal diversity on leaf litter samples collected from Ratangarh forest, Datia. The samples were collected from Jan 2017-June 2017 at monthly intervals. Serial dilution method and PDA media was used for the isolation of fungi. During present investigation, 14 species belonging to 6 different fungal genera have been isolated and identified. Out of these, 2 species belongs to class Zygomycota and 12 species belongs to class Ascomycota and their anamorphs. Species namely Mucor hiemalis, Rhizopus stolonifer, Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus japonicus and Torula sp. were early colonizers while Aspergillus nidulans, Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus fumigatus, Emericella nidulans, Ascochyta sp., Penicillium chrysogenum, Penicillium aurantiogriseum, Trichoderma reesei, and Trichoderma viride were found as late colonizers over leaf litter of Acacia catechu. In all stages of decomposition, fungi belonging to the Ascomycota were predominant. The present investigation provides valuable information about diversity of leaf litter fungi of tropical forest.

Keywords

• forest ecosystems
• fungal diversity
• colonization
• decomposition