Abstract:
Assessment of fungal species associated with a multicultural orchard and
cultivated land in Bingham University landscape was carried out, with
the ultimate aim of identifying the fungi species present in soil under
different agricultural practices. A total of 30 soil samples were collected
and the composite from each land use pattern was analyzed in the labora tory using standard methods. Soil type, percentage Soil Moisture (SM),
percentage Organic Carbon (OC) and percentage Organic Matter (OM)
were measured using standard methods; fungi species were isolated and
identified on the basis of mycelia and spore characteristics, after staining
with lactophenol-in-cotton blue. The results showed that, four types of soil
exist in the sites including sandy, clayey, silt and loamy. SM ranges be tween 3.6% -5.7%, and OC in the sandy soil was the highest 1.01% in the
orange plantation (Op5) followed closely by loamy soil on cultivated site C
with 0.97% OM and 0.56% OC and least in clay soil with 0.72% OM and
0.42% OC. The results of colony forming unit per gram (cfu/g)in relation
to land use type, Cultivated Site C (CC1-CC5) had the highest (262 cfu/
g) and mango plantation (Mp1-Mp5) had the least with 156 cfu/g. Pictorial
representation of isolated fungal species are indicative of suspected
presence of Aspergillus Spp, Mucor Spp, Cladosporium Spp, Fusarium Spp,
Aspergillus Spp etc. This qualitative study concluded that fungal species
population in the soil depends on the management practice in place and the
moisture content of the soil.
