STUDY ON DIVERSITY OF PHYLLOPLANE FUNGI ASSOCIATED WITH THE DRIED-DECAYING LEAVES OF SOLANUM NIGRUM L. AND INHIBITION OF CONIDIAL GERMINATION OF ALTERNARIA ALTERNARA BY THE PHYLLOPLANE FUNGI.

Leaf surfaces which termed as phylloplane are the main photosynthetic part of the plant and also constitute a highly diverse and complex habitat of Algae, bacteria filamentous fungi, nematodes, and yeast. Bacteria are the primary colonizer of young leaves while fungal species present during the later stages. These microorganisms may be beneficial or harmful to their host plants. The phylloplane topography, microclimatic conditions around the phylloplane and exudates of leaf have their impact on growth and development of microbial communities of phylloplane. Phylloplane microfungi of dried-decaying leaves of Solanum nigrum L. was investigated in this work. Deuteromycotina were the dominant fungal component. Biocontrol agents widely utilized for the control of pathogens. Maximum inhibition was exhibited by the Chaetomium globosum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]