It is clear that there are great similarities in the genera of
fungi and their different species isolated from the western and
eastern regions. The studies revealed that the most prevalent
species in both regions are: Alternaria alternata, Aspergillus
flavus, A. fumigatus, A. niger, A. terreus, Emericella nidulance, Fusarium oxysporium, Mycosphaerella tassiana,
Nectria haematococca, and Penicillium chrysogenum.
No rigid definition of soil fungi is given, but fungi
detected or isolated from soil, seeds, and roots of plants are
tentatively termed as soil fungi. Isolates from plant residues
in soil, soil-borne animals, or mushrooms are also included
as soil fungi (Watanabe et al. 1988 and Watanabe 2002). It is
natural for soil fungi to be carried on the seeds of many
plants; this helps in their transmission from one soil to
Table 7.1 (continued)
No.
Genera and species
Average total count (calculated/g dry soil in every
sample)
Cultivated
Desert
Saline
44
E. amstelodami
4540
–
–
45
E. chevalieri
10100
–
–
46
E. rubrum
420
–
–
47
Mucor
100–160
740–3320
540–760
48
M. circinelloides
60
640
–
49
M. racemosus
60–160
740–3320
220–620
50
Mycosphaerella
280–1460
80
2140–2760
51
Myrothecium
180
–
–
52
Nectria haematococca
10640–14080
120
900–7420
53
Paecilomyces variotii
260
–
–
54
Penicillium
2840–13640
7480–11280
7780–10960
55
P. chrysogenum
3980–12400
7120–11000
7100–10500
56
P. citrinum
160–360
140
60
57
P. corylophilum
220–300
–
100–460
58
P. funiculosum
240
–
–
59
P. puberulum Bainier
480–1240
80–440
280–580
60
P. purpurogenum
140
–
-
61
Phoma glomerata
100
60–260
40–200
62
Pleospora herbarum
100–540
240–720
100–780
63
Rhizopus stolonifer
80
120–200
60–80
64
Scopulariopsis breviculis
100
–
–
65
Scytalidium lignicola
100–180
80–300
780–2840
66
Setosphaeria rostrata
100–300
–
–
67
Stachybotrys chartarum
180–400
360
160–6460
68
Syncephalastrum racemosum
160–220
680–1060
–
69
Torula herbarum
60
520–620
100–1380
70
Ulocladium
100–880
400–720
80–180
71
U. alternariae
100–260
240–400
–
72
U. botrytis
240
420–500
80–100
73
U. chartarum
320
220
20–80
74
U. tuberculatum
60
–
80
Gross total count
45940–75860
28820–61600
42960–58340
Number of genera
29
22
21
Number of species
58 + 5 var.
35 + 2 var.
41 + 1 var.
7 Soil Microbiology and Biotechnology
95
fungi and their different species isolated from the western and
eastern regions. The studies revealed that the most prevalent
species in both regions are: Alternaria alternata, Aspergillus
flavus, A. fumigatus, A. niger, A. terreus, Emericella nidulance, Fusarium oxysporium, Mycosphaerella tassiana,
Nectria haematococca, and Penicillium chrysogenum.
No rigid definition of soil fungi is given, but fungi
detected or isolated from soil, seeds, and roots of plants are
tentatively termed as soil fungi. Isolates from plant residues
in soil, soil-borne animals, or mushrooms are also included
as soil fungi (Watanabe et al. 1988 and Watanabe 2002). It is
natural for soil fungi to be carried on the seeds of many
plants; this helps in their transmission from one soil to
Table 7.1 (continued)
No.
Genera and species
Average total count (calculated/g dry soil in every
sample)
Cultivated
Desert
Saline
44
E. amstelodami
4540
–
–
45
E. chevalieri
10100
–
–
46
E. rubrum
420
–
–
47
Mucor
100–160
740–3320
540–760
48
M. circinelloides
60
640
–
49
M. racemosus
60–160
740–3320
220–620
50
Mycosphaerella
280–1460
80
2140–2760
51
Myrothecium
180
–
–
52
Nectria haematococca
10640–14080
120
900–7420
53
Paecilomyces variotii
260
–
–
54
Penicillium
2840–13640
7480–11280
7780–10960
55
P. chrysogenum
3980–12400
7120–11000
7100–10500
56
P. citrinum
160–360
140
60
57
P. corylophilum
220–300
–
100–460
58
P. funiculosum
240
–
–
59
P. puberulum Bainier
480–1240
80–440
280–580
60
P. purpurogenum
140
–
-
61
Phoma glomerata
100
60–260
40–200
62
Pleospora herbarum
100–540
240–720
100–780
63
Rhizopus stolonifer
80
120–200
60–80
64
Scopulariopsis breviculis
100
–
–
65
Scytalidium lignicola
100–180
80–300
780–2840
66
Setosphaeria rostrata
100–300
–
–
67
Stachybotrys chartarum
180–400
360
160–6460
68
Syncephalastrum racemosum
160–220
680–1060
–
69
Torula herbarum
60
520–620
100–1380
70
Ulocladium
100–880
400–720
80–180
71
U. alternariae
100–260
240–400
–
72
U. botrytis
240
420–500
80–100
73
U. chartarum
320
220
20–80
74
U. tuberculatum
60
–
80
Gross total count
45940–75860
28820–61600
42960–58340
Number of genera
29
22
21
Number of species
58 + 5 var.
35 + 2 var.
41 + 1 var.
7 Soil Microbiology and Biotechnology
95