IMPACT OF LAND USE ON DISTRIBUTION AND DIVERSITY OF FUSARIUM SPP. IN TAITA TAVETA, KENYA

Abstract

The effect of Land Use Types (LUTs) on distribution and diversity of soil Fusarium species was carried out in Taita Taveta district, Kenya. Soil samples were collected from sixty sampling points across a land use gradient covering six different LUTs, at the depths of 0 to 10 and 10 to 20 cm. Using Fusarium-selective media, a total of 1865 Fusarium isolates were recovered from the soil samples which resulted into 26 Fusarium species. Fusarium oxysporum and Fusarium solani were the dominant species in this area. Difference in Fusarium abundance, diversity and richness across the LUTs was significant (P

Keywords

• Land Use Type
• Fusarium spp.
• Soil depth
• Soil chemicals.