Abstract

The present study investigated the changes in the number of the species and the fungal population colonizing the decomposing wheat crop residues. There was a slight increase in the number of species in decomposing wheat internodes on 30th day followed by substantial decline on 90th day. On the 150th day a sharp rise was observed followed by a sharp decline on 210th day. From decomposing wheat leaves the number of species isolated was exactly similar to that internode. However on 90th day moderate increase was observed. There was no change in number of species isolated from decomposing chaff on 30th day. On 90th day there is a negligible increase followed by a slight increase on 150th days. The number of fungal species isolated from the mixed straw remain unchanged till 30th day followed by moderate increase on 150th day when it reached almost double the number of species isolated in the beginning.