BIODIVERSITY OF THE ENDOPHYTIC FUNGI ISOLATED FROM MORINGA OLEIFERA OF YERCAUD HILLS
AbstractEndophytic fungi residing inside the medicinal plants are of gaining importance for their bioactive compounds. This present study is undertaken to isolate and identify the potential endophytic fungi from Moringa oleifera, a traditional medicinal plant. A total of 24 segments each 12 from leaf and stem were collected, surface sterilized and was inoculated on to Sabouraud Dextrose Agar (SDA) plates. Based on the macroscopic & microscopic features the fungal isolates were identified as Alternaria spp., Aspergillus spp. Bipolaris spp., Exosphiala spp., Nigrospora spp., and Penicillium spp. Many unidentified sterile mycelia forms were also found which were grouped under the class mycelial sterilia. The Colonization Frequency (CF) and Endophytic Infection Rate (EIR) were observed as 91.66% and 45.83% respectively. The results of this study suggest that traditional medicinal plants are a rich and reliable source of novel endophytic fungi. Further studies are required with regard to the screening of these endophytic fungi for the production of novel bioactive compounds which are medically important in the treatment of diseases.
Article Information
22
1064-1068
575KB
1697
English
IJPSR
R. Dhanalakshmi, S. Umamaheswari, P. Sugandhi and D. Arvind Prasanth*
Medical Microbiology Unit, Department of Microbiology, Periyar University, Salem-636011, Tamil Nadu, India
medicalmicro2012@gmail.com
12 November, 2012
21 December, 2012
23 February, 2013
http://dx.doi.org/10.13040/IJPSR.0975-8232.4(3).1064-68
01 March, 2013