Biocontrol and Environmental Studies on Paper Degrading Mycoflora Isolated from Sanganer Area, Jaipur, India

Culture media and temperature significantly affect the growth, sporulation and conidial discharge of any mycoflora. The colony diameter, cultural characteristics (texture, surface and reverse pigmentation) and sporulation of fungi were greatly influenced by the type of growth medium used. The survival period of fungi in relation to different temperature and pH conditions, media and natural habitats differs from species to species.Variation in mycelial growth and fungal sporulation was observed with media tested. Colony radial growth and sporulation of soil fungi was found to be excellent on Potato Dextrose Agar followed by Malt Extract Agar at optimal environmental conditions. In the present study in vitro antagonistic activity using the dual culture technique was carried out and show ed that antagonist Trichoderma sp. grow faster than the isolated fungi and produced inhibition zones thereby limiting the growth of the fungi. Maximum growth inhibition by Trichoderma sp (biocontrol agent) were found in the following order i.e. Fusarium sp. (46.66% ), A. fumigatus (42.85%), A. flavus (40.00%) and A. niger (24.44%), were found with the use of Trichoderma sp in dual culture. The present investigation was conducted to examine the effect of different temperature, pH and nutritional media on the mycelial growth and fungal sporulation of three soil fungi i.e. Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus fumigatus, isolated from paper and pulp industry and biocontrol studies were also carried out to develop antagonist Trichoderma sp. so as to prevent paper degradation by fungi.