Fusarium Species Isolated from Soil Samples Collected at Different Altitudes in the Transkei, Southern Africa

ABSTRACT

Fusarium species were isolated from soil samples and soil debris obtained at altitudes of 1400, 1100, 800, 500, 250, and 0 m in the Republic of Transkei. Nineteen species of Fusarium were isolated representing sections Eupionnotes, Sporotrichiella, Discolor, Gibbosum, Arthrosporiella, Liseola, Elegans, Martiella, and Lateritium. Fusarium oxysporum, F. equiseti, F. semitectum, F. nygamai, and F. solani were isolated most frequently and F. oxysporum was the predominant species isolated from all samples. Other species recovered were F. chlamydosporum, F. merismoides, F. lateritium, F. culmorum, F. compactum, F. dlamini, F. poae, F. proliferatum, F. moniliforme, F. graminearum, F. sambucinum, F. napiforme, and three unknown populations. Using Simpson's index, the diversity indices calculated for Fusarium species from debris and soil from each sampling site indicate that overall debris was a greater source of species diversity than soil. Diversity indices calculated for each altitude sample and each isolation technique showed that the sea level site yielded the most diverse population.

Key Words:

• Soil sampling
• southern Africa
• Fusarium species