Role of Prosopis cineraria on the ecology of soil fungi in Indian desert

An investigation was carried out to assess the effect of Prosopis cineraria on some ecological parameters of soil microfungi in an arid region of western Rajasthan. Nine soil samplings were done from the undercanopy of the tree and from the open areas for 2 years. Undercanopy soil of the tree possessed higher population of fungi and fungal biomass as compared to open field. Fungal parameters varied among different sampling periods. Soil samples analysed during different seasons for soil mycoflora revealed maximum fungal populations in rainy months. Fungal biomass and fungal population are directly proportional to organic matter (r= 0•78;•0•78, respectively). The population of fungi is linearly related to fungal biomass with higher (r= 0•92) correlation at undercanopy as compared to open area (r= 0•72). Soil and climatic factors are responsible for enormous variation in fungal biomass. Organic carbon in the undercanopy is the critical factor that explained 76% variation in fungal biomass. Climatic factors did not affect undercanopy fungal biomass to any measurable extent; however, fungal biomass in the open area varied significantly due to rainfall and the model explained 73% variations in fungal biomass