Fungi Associated with the Decomposition of Teak and <I>Albizia</I> Leaf Litter in Kerala

Abstract

Fungi associated with the decomposition of leaf letters of Albizia and teak were studied for a period of 14 months using the dilution plate method. Aspergilli, Penicillia, Doliomyces mysorensis, Robillarda sessilis and Trichoderma viride were the dominant primary saprophytes of Albizia litter. Teak litter had Aspergilli, Penicillis, Coniella, and Tritirachium sp. As the dominant early colonizers. The secondary colonizers of both the litters included several gerera of fungi imperfecti and sterile forms. Members of Mucorales and the Basidiomycetous mycelium were predominant on highly decomposed litter. Fungi Imperfecti were the dominant colonizers of the litters throughout the study period. In general, the successional pattern of fungi on Albizia and teak litters agreed with the general scheme of fungal succession on plant litters proposed by Hudson. The mycoflora of teak litter reported in this study was more or less identical to that reported from elsewhere. It is concluded that possibly substrate quality is one of the major factors which influence the composition of fungal flora of leaf litters.