Colonization frequency, diversity and siderophore producing ability ofendophytic fungi isolated from Prosopis species

Abstract

A total of 46 endophytic fungi were isolated from 270 segments of leaf and stem tissues of Prosopis juliflora andP. cineraria that were naturally found in semi-arid habitat of Vijayapur and Bagalkot districts of Karnataka (India). Twentysix endophytic fungi were obtained from stem, while twenty were obtained from leaf. The diversity and species richnesswere found higher in stem tissues than in leaf. The average colonization frequency of P. juliflora was 27.69 per cent, whileP. cineraria recorded average colonization frequency of 36.42 per cent. Eleven samples from P. juliflora and sixteen samplesfrom P. cineraria did not yield any endophyte irrespective of the tissue material used. The endophytes belonging to generaAspergillus, Alternaria, Fusarium, Penicillium and Colletotrichum were recovered. Aspergillus sp. had the highest colonizationfrequency of 28.26 per cent followed by Alternaria sp. and Colletotrichum sp. with each of them showing 8.69 per centcolonization frequency. Fungal endophytes PJB-1 and PJV-6 were found to be positive for siderophore activity