Assessment of Endophytic Fungi Associated with Greavillea Robusta Tree Planted as Urban Green Infrastructure in Hawassa Town: Its Implication to Understand the Current Health Condition of Urban trees

Getachew Birhanu

doi:10.7176/alst/77-04

Abstract

Endophytic fungi represent a genetically diverse group of microorganisms associated with healthy tissues of terrestrial plants. They are believed to be mostly beneficial to their host plants and produce novel antimicrobial compounds or may be latent pathogens that become active at specific stage of development or under a set of environmental conditions. The aim of the current study was to assess the diversity of culturable endophytic fungi in the leaf of diseased and healthy looking Grevillea robusta from different streets having different traffic flow. Leaf samples of G.robusta were collected from those trees growing in the road side, parks and home gardens at Hawassa town. Identification of the isolates to the genus level was performed on the basis of cultural characteristics and spore morphology. Accordingly, a total of 387 endophytic fungal isolates were recovered from 192 leaf fragments across five different streets. The highest isolation rate of endophytic fungi was recorded on a street from South Star Hotel to Bus station (IR=3.81) where as the smallest isolation rate was recorded on a street from Bus station to Atote (IR=0.71). The highest relative frequency of endophytic fungi was recorded for Pestalotiopsis spp 2 (RF=25.58%) where as the smallest was recorded was recorded for Unidentified spp 5 (RF=0.51%). Additionally, the highest diversity of endophytic fungi was recorded on the road from South Star Hotel to Bus station (H’=3.01) where as the smallest diversity of endophytic fungi was recorded on a street from Atote to Teachers Teaching College (H’=1.79). Keywords: - Disease, Urban trees, Diversity, Grevillea robusta DOI : 10.7176/ALST/77-04 Publication date: January 31 st 2020

Highlights

Urban forests are made up of trees and other vegetation within the built environment
Theses pathogens affect various parts of the plant; root, stem, leaf and internal organs of the plant. As a result it leads the loss of urban tree canopy cover and health, and to shifts or loss of species that would diminish the quality of the urban environment and numerous ecosystem services derived from trees and forests
Results from this study will be used to advance the understanding of the urban tree disease and health, diversity, improves urban forest policies, planning and management, provide data for potential inclusion of trees within environmental regulations, and determine how trees affect the environment and enhance human health and environmental quality in urban areas

Summary

INTRODUCTION

Urban forests are made up of trees and other vegetation within the built environment. Theses pathogens affect various parts of the plant; root, stem, leaf and internal organs of the plant As a result it leads the loss of urban tree canopy cover and health, and to shifts or loss of species that would diminish the quality of the urban environment and numerous ecosystem services derived from trees and forests. Results from this study will be used to advance the understanding of the urban tree disease and health, diversity, improves urban forest policies, planning and management, provide data for potential inclusion of trees within environmental regulations, and determine how trees affect the environment and enhance human health and environmental quality in urban areas. This research work was intended to know the major disturbances which cause adverse impacts on the urban trees health condition and to recommend an appropriate preventive mechanism of disease to improve the health condition of the urban forests

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Findings

RESULT