Abstract

For the occurrence and diversity of insect associated fungi in agroecological habitats of Hot Arid Zone of Punjab, Pakistan soil samples were collected. Insect associated fungi were classified as entomopathogens, opportunistic pathogens and secondary colonizers isolated from the Galleria mellonella bait insect exposed to the soil samples in question. Total 20 number of soil samples collected from Muzzafargarh and Layyah districts belonging to different localities of zone were examined. The frequencies of these species were different in both districts. Total frequency of occurrence of these fungi was the highest in District Muzaffargarh that was found to be 18.18% among all types of observed fungal species in comparison with that of 17.20% in District Layyah. Six species of opportunistic fungi in Hot Arid Zone were found including; Fusarium oxysporum, Fusarium solani, Fusarium sp., Penicillium sp., Aspergillus flavus and Mucor sp. with different frequencies in each district. Total frequency of occurrence of these fungal species was the highest in District Muzaffargarh that was found to be 60.60% among all types of observed species in comparison with that of 41.16% in District Layyah. Six species of secondary colonizers with variation in frequency of occurrence were found in Layyah and Muzaffargarh districts of hot arid zone. The species observed were including; Chaetomium globosum, yeast, Trichoderma sp., Trichoderma koningii Rhizopus oryzae, and Absidia glauca. The highest frequency of occurrence of these fungal species was eminent in District Layyah with the rate of 41.06% among all types of observed species in comparison with that of 21.21% in District Muzaffargarh.

Key words: Entomopathogens, opportunistic pathogens, secondary colonizers and Galleria mellonella bait.