Abstract
This study was conducted to determine the diversity of beneficial endophytes from various plant species, associated with their prevalence according to plant type, plant group and their environmental setting. Isolation was performed using stem and leaf tissues, and the isolates obtained were subsequently tested for antagonistic activity towards the fungal pathogen Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense race 4. Our results revealed that antagonistic endophytes were mostly fungal endophytes and they were found primarily in weeds and medicinal plant samples. Plants from rural landscapes were observed to host more antagonistic endophytes compared to plants from urban landscapes. As such, we conclude that endophytes with potential as biocontrol agents for Fusarium wilt management are prevalent in plants that exist in the rural areas, and that sourcing from weeds or medicinal plants would provide a higher recovery rate of antagonistic endophytes.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 399-406 |
| Number of pages | 8 |
| Journal | American-Eurasian Journal of Sustainable Agriculture |
| Volume | 3 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| Publication status | Published - May 2009 |
| Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Beneficial endophytes
- Endophyte diversity
- Medicinal plants
- Recovery rate
- Weeds