Abstract

The arid zone of India encompasses approximately 12% of the country’s geographical area, spanning 31.8 million hectares of land. It includes regions in western Rajasthan, Gujarat, Punjab, Haryana, Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh. These areas typically receive an annual rainfall ranging from 100 to 500mm. The region is characterized by low and unpredictable rainfall, wide temperature variations (ranging from 1 °C to 48 °C), high wind speeds, and sandy soils. Given such challenging conditions, one might assume that the region harbors a lower abundance of fungal species in the soil, plants, and other habitats. However, this assumption does not hold true. The fragile ecosystem of the arid zone actually hosts numerous mesophilic and thermophilic fungi in abundance. Additionally, many fungal species have developed adaptations over time, increasing their resistance to high temperatures in their dormant structures. Continuous cultivation of drought-resistant crops in the same area allows the survival and multiplication of various soil-borne plant pathogens. This problem is further compounded by the low moisture-holding capacity and microbial population of sandy soils.