INTRODUCTION Information on the prevalence of keratinophilic fungi in West Indies is scanty. Occurrence of keratinophilic fungi in soils of St. Kitts and Nevis has not been investigated previously. METHODOLOGY The prevalence of keratinophilic fungi was investigated in 108 samples of soils of varying habitats from St. Kitts and 55 such samples from Nevis by hair-baiting technique. Fungal growt...

A laboratory study was carried out to evaluate the protective role of ectomycorrhizal fungi against contamination of plants growing in soil treated with cadmium at a dose of 150 μg Cd/ g soil. An alginateimmobilized inoculum of mycorrhizal fungi was used to introduce the fungi to the soil. The impact of fungi was examined in terms of changes in cadmium levels in inoculated and non-inoculated se...

Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi are soil-borne microorganisms forming mutualistic associations with the vast majority of land plants, including most agricultural relevant crops. In this association the plant provides the fungus with plant photosynthates allowing it to complete its life cycle, while the fungus provides the plant with mineral nutrients, mainly phosphorus and can also help the p...

Soil bacteria can benefit from co-occurring soil fungi in respect of the acquisition of carbonaceous nutrients released by fungal hyphae and the access to novel territories in soil. Here, we investigated the capacity of the mycosphere-isolated bacterium Burkholderia terrae BS001 to comigrate through soil along with hyphae of the soil fungi Trichoderma asperellum, Rhizoctonia solani, Fusarium ox...

The spatial organisation of soils is crucially important in affecting belowground function, and the associated delivery of ecosystem services. Fungi constitute an important part of the soil biomass. As well as playing key roles in nutrient cycling and biotic interactions, they are also intimately involved in soil structural dynamics. Fungi mediate the formation of soil structure at a variety of...

background: soil is well known to support the transient or ongoing existence of keratinophilic fungi and potential source of infection for human and animals. methods : samples were collected from 67 sites of university campus like pg study centers, playgrounds, gardens, hostels, administrative blocks, library, bank, canteen and road side for the estimation of keratinophilic fungi using the hair...

Fungi of the genus Trichoderma are used as biocontrol agents against several plant pathogenic fungi like Rhizoctonia spp., Pythium spp., Botrytis cinerea and Fusarium spp. which cause both soil-borne and leaf- or flower-borne diseases of agricultural plants. Plant disease control by Trichoderma is based on complex interactions between Trichoderma, the plant pathogen and the plant. Until now, tw...

Enemy release of exotic plants from soil pathogens has been tested by examining plant-soil feedback effects in repetitive growth cycles. However, positive soil feedback may also be due to enhanced benefit from the local arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF). Few studies actually have tested pathogen effects, and none of them did so in arid savannas. In the Kalahari savanna in Botswana, we compared...

Soil fungi are a critical component of agroecosystems and provide ecological services that impact the production of food and bioproducts. Effective management of fungal resources is essential to optimize the productivity and sustainability of agricultural ecosystems. In this review, we (i) highlight the functional groups of fungi that play key roles in agricultural ecosystems, (ii) examine the ...

SLYKHUIS, J. T., and D. J. S. BARR. 1978. Confirmation of Polymyxa graminis as a vector of wheat spindle streak mosaic virus. Phytopathology 68: 639-643. Wheat spindle streak mosaic virus was transmitted via isolates of each of the zoosporic fungi were cultured on wheat water from soil-free roots of wheat plants infected by growing infected with the virus by sap inoculation of leaves, the virus...