Isolation, identification and ecological significance of litter fungi

Fungi are eukaryotic, achlorophyllous, filamentous or unicellular microorganisms. They are ubiquitous and considered the primary decomposers of dead biomass in the biosphere. Decomposition is a key component of global carbon cycling. Fungi play a central role in plant litter decomposition in forest ecosystems through nutrient cycling and humus formation in soil, because they colonize the lignocellulose matrix in litter, which other organisms are unable to decompose. Litter samples were collected from various sites in Salcete, Goa. Macro-fungi maintained in moist chambers and leaf litter were inoculated in sterile petri-plates having PDA media. Colony and microscopic studies of the isolated pure cultures was then done. The litter fungi isolated were Aspergillus sp., Fusarium sp., Trichoderma sp., Mucor sp., Cheilymenia fimicola, Mycena acicula, Schizophyllum commune, Marasmius haematocephalus and Ganoderma sp.