Comparison of the Occurrence of the Saprophytic Soil Fungi in Two Differently Cultivated Field Soils

Abstract

ABSTRACT A study was performed to examine the influence of ‘organic’ and ‘conventional’ farming on the number and composition of saprophytic soil fungi. The fields of the organic farm had been cultivated according to the principles of Steiner (1963) for 32 years. The soils were similar as to climatic conditions, soil type and vegetation. Soil samples were taken 3 times during winter and spring (October, January, and April). The soil fungi were isolated by soil washing, enumerated and identified. The differences between the two soils were less than the seasonal variation in occurrence of the soil fungi. More fungi were isolated from the two soils in January than in October and April. In January and April, a higher number of fungi was isolated from the ‘organic’ soil than from the ‘conventional’ soil, indicating a higher potential for decomposing organic material. The species richness was also higher in the ‘organic’ soil, Penicillium janczewskii being the most frequent species. All tested isolates of P. ja...