Abstract
A collection of endophytic fungi was obtained from living apparently symptomless roots, stems, leaves and fruits of Melia azedarach. This is an exotic tree introduced into Brazil from Asia and is a producer of insecticidal compounds. It grows very well and is apparently resistant to many pathogens. Each segment from the plant was sampled during two periods. A total of 55 fungal isolates were recovered. Hyphomycetes were more prevalent than Ascomycetes, Coelomycetes and Basidiomycetes. The genera Aspergillus and Penicillium were the most common in the plant.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bacon, C.W. & Hinton, D.M. 1996 Symptomless endophytic colonization of maize by Fusarium moniliforme. Canadian Journal of Botany 74, 1195–1202.
Barnett, H.L. & Hunter, B.B. 1998 Illustrated Genera of Imperfect Fungi. New York: MacMillan Publ. Co. ISBN: 0-89054-192-2.
Booth, C. 1977 Fusarium: Laboratory Guide to the Identification of the Major Species. Kew, Surrey, England: Commonwealth Mycological Institute. ISBN: 0851983839.
Bills, G.F. & Polishook, J.D. 1991 Microfungi from Carpinus caroliniana. Canadian Journal of Botany 69, 1477–1482.
Carroll, G. 1988 Fungal endophytes in stems and leaves: from latent pathogen to mutualistic symbiont. Ecology 69, 2–9.
Chapela, I.H. 1989 Fungi in healthy stems and branches of American beech and aspen: a comparative study. New Phytologist 113, 65–75.
Clay, K. 1988 Fungal endophytes of grasses: a defensive mutualism between plants and fungi. Ecology 69, 10–16.
Freeman, S. & Rodriguez, R.J. 1993 Genetic conversion of a fungal plant pathogen to a nonpathogenic, endophytic mutualist. Science 260, 75–78.
Geris dos Santos, R.M. & Rodrigues-Fo, E. 2002 Meroterpenes from Penicillium sp. found in association with Melia azedarach. Phytochemistry 61, 907–912.
Peláez, F., Collado, J., Arenal, P., Basilio, A., Cabello, A., Diez Matas, M.T., García, J.B., González del Val, A., González, V., Gorrochategui, J., Hernández, P., Martín, I., Platas, G. & Vicente, F. 1998 Endophytic fungi from plants living on gypsum soils as a source of secondary metabolites with antimicrobial activity. Mycological Research 102, 755–761.
Petrini, O., Sieber, T.N., Toti, L. & Viret, O. 1992 Ecology, metabolite production and substrate utilization in endophytic fungi. Natural Toxins 1, 185–196.
Pitt, J.I. 2000 A Laboratory Guide to Common Penicillium species. Sydney: CSIRO. ISBN: 0-643-04837-5.
Raper, K.B. & Thom, C. 1949 A Manual of the Penicillia. Amsterdam, The Netherlands: Elsevier Biomedical Press.
Raper, K.B. & Fennell, D.I. 1965 The Genus Aspergillius. Baltimore, Maryland: Williams and Wilkins Co.
Reddy, P.V., Lam, C.K. & Belanger, F.C. 1996 Mutualistic fungal endophytes express a proteinase that is homologous to proteases suspected to be important in fungal pathogenicity. Plant Physiology 11, 1209–1218.
Rifai, A.M. 1969 A revision of the genus Trichoderma. Mycological Papers 116, 1–56.
Schulthess, F.M. & Faeth, S.H. 1998 Distribution, abundances, and associations of the endophytic fungal community of Arizona fescue (Festuca arizonica). Mycologia 90, 569–578.
Taylor, J.E., Hyde, K.D. & Jones, E.B.G. 1999 Endophytic fungi associated with the temperate palm, Trachycarpus fortunei, within and outside its natural geographic range. New Phytologist 142, 335–346.
Waterman, P.G. & Grundon, M.F. 1983 Chemistry and Chemical Taxonomy of the Rutales. London: Academic Press. ISBN: 0-12-737680-1.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Geris dos Santos, R.M., Rodrigues-Fo, E., Caldas Rocha, W. et al. Endophytic fungi from Melia azedarach . World Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology 19, 767–770 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1026000731189
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1026000731189