Abstract

• In this study, three different soil samples were collected from three Townships (North Oakkala, Mayangone and Insein) in Yangon Region. The soil type from North Oakkala and Insein was clay loam whereas that from Mayangone was sandy clay. Twenty-four soil fungi were isolated from three different soil samples by the serial dilution method. The forms of fungal colonies were circular, irregular, filamentous and rhizoid. The elevation of colonies was raised, convex, flat, umbonate while the margins of colonies of isolated fungi were entire, undulate, filiform, curled and lobate. Antimicrobial activity of isolated fungal strains was evaluated by the agar well diffusion method with eight test organisms: Agrobacterium tumefaciens, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas fluorescens, Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus pumilus, Malassezia furfur and Candida albicans. Among 24 isolates, seventeen strains showed different levels of antimicrobial activities. Among seventeen active strains, isolated fungal strains WT-14, 17 and 24 were moderately antimicrobial activity while seven strains WT-1, 2, 4, 7, 9, 13 and 15 showed highly antimicrobial activity against all test organisms. According to the morphological and microscopical characters of bioactive seven strains, six of them (strains WT-1, 2, 4, 9, 13 and 15) were identified as Aspergillus sp. while strain WT-7 was Rhizoctonia sp.