Succession of Fungi on Decaying Setaria glauca Beauv.: A Qualitative Analysis of the Mycoflora

The mycoflora recorded on the decaying shoots of Setaria glauca,from their early senescence onwards, has been analysed qualitatively.On the basis of time of appearance and sporing and durationperiods of fungi, three patterns of colonization have been recognized.The group I members, designated as primary colonists appearon shoots just after their senescence during August. This groupincludes six dematiaceous hyphomycetes and two sphaeropsidales.These are followed by group II members during the late rainyseason, and group III members that appear only for a short periodduring winter. The dominant forms of group II are, 15 dematiaceousand 3 tuberculariaceous hyphomycetes, 2 sphaeropsidales, and1 ascomycete, whereas those representing group III are, 27 dematiaceous,2 moniliaceous and I tuberculariaceous hyphomycetes, 5 sphaeropsidales,1 melanconiales, and 3 mycelia sterilia. These studies also showed that about 94 per cent of the totalmycoflora is constituted by the deuteromycetes of which 12 aresphaeropsidales, 1 melanconiales, 78 moniliales, and 3 myceliasterilia. The moniliales are represented by 3 species of moniliaceae,69 of dematiaceae, and 6 of tuberculariaceae. The phycomycetestage was absent, the three mucorales being discovered onlyby inoculation at an advanced stage of decay. The deuteromycetes,particularly dematiaceous hyphomycetes, have been found to playthe most important role in this phase of decomposition.