An evaluation of some techniques for isolation of rhizosphere and soil mycoflora

Abstract

Different methods of isolation,viz., the dilution plate method, soil plate method and soil washing method were used in the present study with a view to obtain a fairly comprehensive picture of the mycoflora in the rhizosphere ofPennisetum typhoides and in the soil. In general, it was found that the dilution plate method gave more number of species than the soil plate method. The percentage occurrence of non-sporulating hyaline forms was more when the soil washing method was used compared to the other two methods. A larger number of Ascomycetes were obtained by the soil plate method than by the other two methods. A greater variety of fungi and a larger number of species were isolated by using all the three methods rather than one alone.