Abstract
Fungi are vital components of nearly all ecosystems and affect human health and our economy in many ways. Monitoring fungal biodiversity from various systems including phylloplane is essential. The occurrence of phylloplane fungi on leaf surface of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum ) was investigated. A total number of 19 fungal species were isolated from surface sterilized leaf segments using dilution plating technique. Among these Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus fumigatus, Aspergillus terreus, Curvularia, Fusarium oxysporum, F. moniliformis, Macrophomina phaseolina, Dreschlera, Penicillium citrinum, Penicillium chrysogenium, Rhizopus stolonifer, Trichoderma harizianum, Trichoderma viride , White sterile mycelium, yellow sterile mycelium Diversity of phylloplane assemblages were also measured. The colony interaction between the Alternaria solani and the phylloplane fungi of tomato were assessed following the model of proposed by Dickinson. Alternaria solani overgrew the colony of Aspergillus flavus, A. niger, A. fumigatus and showed type A interaction while Trichoderma harizianum, T. viride inhibited the growth of A. solani and produced coiling around the A. solani ( type B interaction). Fusarium oxysporam, Fusarium moniliforme, Aspergillus terrus, Penicillium citrinum, and Peneicillium chrysogenum inhibited the growth of A. solani but did not produce coiling ( type C). Rhizopus sp and Macrophomina phaseolina met with A. solani colony.
