Incidence of keratinophilic fungi in waterlogged condition of paddy soil.

Prevalence of keratinophilic fungi was observed in paddy field soil during different stages of cultivation viz., transplanting, tillering, milking and maturation. Out of total 76 soil samples, 65 soil samples were found to be positive for the keratinophilic fungi. Fourteen species belonging to a single genus Chrysosporium were isolated through out the cropping season. C. keratinophilum (17.1%) followed by C. tropicum (13.15%) were found to be the most dominating geophilic species. The highest percent distribution of keratinophilic fungi appeared during the milking stage (100%) of paddy cultivation, followed by the maturation stage (89.47%).