Storage Fungi: Role in Biodeterioration and Their Biocontrol

Present research work embodies collection of oil seed samples from different store houses, market places, godowns, fields from different districts of Marathwada region of Maharashtra state (India). For detection of seed mycoflora associated with seed samples, autoclaved Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA), Glucose Nitrate Agar (GNA), Czapek Dox Agar (CZA) and Rose Bengal Agar (RBA) media were used for isolation. Among isolated fungi, 10 fungi were screened for further study on the basis of their dominance of occurrence on oilseeds. These fungi are Alternaria dianthicola, Curvularia lunata, Curvularia pellescens, Fusarium oxysporum, Fusarium equiseti, Macrophomina phaseolina, Rhizopus stolonifer, Penicillium digitatum, Penicillium chrysogenum and Trichoderma viride. In another part of research work, physico-chemical changes in biodeteriorated oilseeds and oil due to storage fungi were studied. Further, some botanicals and plant products were screened to evaluate their fungitoxic properties against storage fungi.