8th Cuban Congress on Microbiology and Parasitology, 5th National Congress on Tropical Medicine and 5th International Symposium on HIV/aids infection in Cuba

Title

Molecular characterization of endophytic fungi from Calotropis procera plants in Taif region (Saudi Arabia) and their antifungal activities

Authors

Rukaia Gashgari M , Youssuf A. Gherbawy

Abstract


Fungal endophytes were isolated from leaves of Calotropis procera collected from Taif region (Saudi Arabia). Thirty three different taxa were recovered. The overall foliar colonization rate was 35.1%. The ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions  of the collected endophytic isolates were sequenced. The isolated fungi were 33 species belonged to 18 genera. The most prevalent fungi were Aspergillus flavus, Chaetomium globosum, Cochliobolus lunatus, F. dimerum, F.oxysporum and Penicillium chrysogenum. A total of 101 isolates were tested for antifungal activities against four plant pathogenic fungi. Out of these, 33 isolates showed antifungal activity against at least one plant pathogenic fungi. Four isolates of Chaetomium globosum  and 3 isolates of  Myrothecium verrucaria strongly inhibited the growth of 4 plant pathogenic fungi.