Diversity and phosphate solubilization potential of rhizospheric fungi from different land-use of Mokokchung district, Nagaland, India

This study investigates the rhizospheric fungal communities in soil samples from Mokokchung, Nagaland, India, collected from five land-use types: natural forest (NF), tree plantation (TP), bamboo plantation (BP), jhum fallow (JF), and shifting cultivation (SC). Various soil parameters, including temperature, pH, organic carbon, moisture, available nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, were analyzed. Soil fungal species were isolated in rose Bengal agar (RBA) and potato dextrose agar (PDA), and the diversity, richness, evenness, and abundance were estimated using diversity indices such as Shannon, Simpson, Berger-Parker, and Pielou's evenness. Results depict significant variations in soil properties influencing fungal populations across the different land-use types. NF exhibited the highest fungal diversity, taxa, and richness, while SC had the lowest, as reflected by the diversity indices. Aspergillus and Penicillium were the predominant genera. Additionally, eight fungal isolates demonstrated the ability to solubilize phosphate, with Penicillium emerging as a particularly promising candidate for further evaluation due to its high solubilization potential. This study highlights the impact of land-use on fungal diversity and the potential of phosphate-solubilizing fungi for sustainable agriculture.