Abstract

BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY OF ENDOPHYTIC FUNGI ISOLATED FROM UNDERGROUND PARTS OF INDIAN MEDICINAL PLANTS

*R.E.Jalgaonwala and R.T.Mahajan

Abstract

Microorganisms like endophytic fungi generally reside asymptomatically in the tissues of higher plants. The host endophyte relationship is supposed to be complex and different from plant to microbe. Intention of present report is to provide studies on endophytic fungi, particularly on diversity of fungal endophytes from some medicinal plants of India such as Aloe vera (L.), Ocimum sanctum (L.) and Curcuma longa (L.). Diverse fungal taxa isolated majorly Fusarium (12%), Alternaria (12%), Ascomycete (12%), Mycelia sterilia (10%), Eurotium (28%) and Oidodendran (13%) and other unidentified taxa (13%). Results: Different fungal taxa was isolated from designated medicinal plants. These are majorly Fusarium,Alternaria, Ascomycete, Mycelia sterilia, Eurotium and Oidodendran and other unidentified taxa identified by molecular sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of fungal endophytes. Conclusion : Investigations have been carried on tissues of selected indigenous medicinal plants The present study provides evidence that isolated endophytes are capable to survive inside plants. Results of present study indicate that selected plants and their parts are highly colonized by microbial endophytes, and endophytes are not host specific.

Keywords: Endophytic fungi, fungal taxa, diversity, medicinal plants.