Research Article

Phosphate Solubilization Potential of Rhizosphere Fungi Isolated from Plants in Jimma Zone, Southwest Ethiopia

Table 2

Colony morphology and microscopic characteristics of the fungal isolates.

Isolates codeColony morphologyMicroscopic observationsSuggested genus

JUCaF (4–15, 27 & 28, 33–38)
JUFbF (39–43, 45–55, 60)
JUHbF (61–90, 95)
JUScF (96, 102–104, 106-107, 117–119)
JUToF (136, 143, 148, 152–158, 163–167)
Colonies were initially white and turned yellowish green to light green (Figure 1(a)). Reverse is white to pale green (Figure 1(b)). Colonies grew rapidly on PDA and initially white floccose mycelium spreading rapidly and quickly become black color colonies with production of black spores (Figure 1(c)). Reverse is white to pale yellow (Figure 1(d)).Conidia were small, black, brownish black, green in colour. Septate hyphae with rough brown and smooth colorless conidiophores with distinctive conidial heads (flask-shaped) (Figure 1(f)). Aspergillus species

JUCaF (1–3, 17–23, 26, 29 & 31) JUFbF (56–59), JUHbF (92 & 94) JUScF (97–100, 105, 108, 112–116 & 120)
JUToF (126–129, 135, 142, 144, 159–162)
Colonies are initially white and become dark green or blue green in time with white periphery on both PDA & PVK medium (Figures 2(a) and 2(b)). Reverse was white in color.Conodia are globuse, greenish and smooth. Septate hyphae, ovate spores and conidial heads composed of continual conidia. Microscopically, conodiophores show branching, and phialides produced in groups from branched metulae, giving brush-like appearance (Figure 2(c)).Penicillium species

JUToF (121–124, 130, 133, 137–140, 143, 145–147, 149, 151)Colonies grew fast on PDA; the mycelia were floccose, fairly dense, off-white and turned lilac in older portions of the colony. Reverse showed several shades of red to brown on PDA & violet in PVK (Figures 3(a) and 3(b)). Extensive septate mycelium and conidiophores in the aerial mycelia were mostly short branched (Figure 3(a)). Macroconidia were formed straight, rare and falcate with 2-3 septate per conidium (Figure 3(b)). Microconidia were abundant and occurred singly with oval to obvate shapes (Figures 3(c) and 3(d)) which were fusiform to clavate with, rounded apex, usually with single septa. Fusarium species

JUCaF (16, 24-25, 30 & 32)
(JUFbF44), JUHbF (91 & 93)
JUScF (101, 109–111)
JUToF (125, 131-132, 134, 141 & 150)
Unidentified