Succession of microfungi on leaf litter of Anogeissus pendula in Datia, Madhya Pradesh, India

Plant-microbial interactions are recognized as important drivers of terrestrial ecosystem functioning. Colonization and decomposition of leaf litter in forest ecosystem is mostly governed by microfungi. Present study has been carried out to understand the biology and diversity of leaf litter fungi and their colonization during decomposition. After removing litter bags from pits at 15, 30, 45, 60, 75, 90, 120, 150, and 180 days of intervals, isolation and identification of fungi was done following serial dilution method. A total of 16 fungal species belonging to seven genera were isolated and identified from decomposed leaf litter of Anogeissus pendula. Among these three species belonged to Zygomycota and thirteen species are belonging to Ascomycota and their anamorphs. Species namely Mucor varians, Mucor hiemalis, Rhizopus stolonifer, Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus japonicus were early colonizers and Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus fumigatus, Aspergillus nidulans, Aspergillus versicolor, Aspergillus flavipes, Geotrichum candidum, Penicillium chrysogenum, Penicillium aurantiogriseum, Trichoderma reesei, Trichoderma viride and Chaetomium osmoniae were regarded as late colonizers. In all stages of decomposition, fungi belonging to Ascomycota were predominant. The present investigation provides valuable information about diversity of leaf litter fungi of tropical forest.