SELECTED AGRICULTURAL

This study focused on isolating and identifying fungal species associated with agricultural farmland soil in UNIBEN. Soil samples were collected in sterile plastic ziplock bags from selected agricultural farmlands in Benin City, Edo State, and were subsequently transported to the laboratory for fungal identification. The identification of fungal isolates was conducted using cultural and morphological methods. The results indicated that total fungal counts of soil samples collected from the selected farmlands ranged from 5.70±0.42 to 12.50±1.56. The highest fungal counts were observed in Farm 2 (12.50±1.56), followed by Farm 5 (8.70±0.71), while Farm 4 exhibited the lowest count at 5.70±0.42. The identified fungal isolates included Aspergillus niger, Trichoderma sp., Penicillium sp., Rhizopus arrhizus, and Mucor mucedo. The percentages of occurrence for these fungal isolates varied from 7.14% to 28.57%. Aspergillus niger had the highest occurrence rate at 28.57%, followed by Trichoderma sp. and Penicillium sp., each at 21.43%, while Rhizopus arrhizus had the lowest occurrence at 7.14%. This study emphasizes the importance of understanding the dynamics of fungal populations within these agricultural soils to inform management strategies aimed at enhancing soil health. By monitoring these microbial communities, farmers at these sites can adopt more effective agronomic practices that capitalize on beneficial fungi while minimizing the impact of pathogenic species.