EFFECT OF INOCULATING FUNGI INTO COMPOST ON GROWTH OF TOMATO AND COMPOST MICROFLORA

The ability of Acremonium butyri, Chaetomium globosum, Gliocladium ros eum, Trichoderma hamatum and Zygorrhynchus moelleri to enhance growth of tomato plants cv. Alta was examined by inoculating soilless compost with these fungi. The effect of inocula on the population of other mi croflora in the compost was also examined. T. hamatum and Z. moelleri significantly (P less than or equal to 0.05) increased the growth of t omato plants and this increase was greater than resulted from normal f ertiliser practice adopted by growers. The population of inoculated T. hamatum and Z. moelleri remained constant in compost with or without tomato plants whereas the populations of other introduced fungi declin ed with time. Each of the 5 introduced fungi reduced the original popu lations of Fusarium, Penicillium and Mucor, but not the total bacteria l or actinomycete populations. The microbial populations were signific antly (P less than or equal to 0.05) higher in compost with plants tha n in compost without plants.