Fungal endophytes from medicinal plants: growth promotion in Oryza sativa L. and Cicer arietinum L.

Abstract

In the present investigation, four endophytic fungi were isolated from two medicinal plants from two medicinal plants and identified using molecular technique and tested the efficacy of four isolates on the growth of Cicer arietinum and two varieties of rice (Sarath and Gomati). The molecular characterization using amplification of internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of fungal ribosomal DNA (rDNA) reveals four fungi namely Diaporthe phaseolorum, Penicillium oxalicum, Fusarium sp. and Syncephalastrum monosporum. The efficacy of isolates on the growth of plants indicated that there was significant increase in shoot length, root length and shoot dry weight with inoculation of D. phaseolorum, P. oxalicum and Fusarium sp. on Sarath variety of rice. Significant increase in shoot length and root dry weight was observed in Gomati rice variety with the inoculation of D. phaseolorum, P. oxalicum and Fusarium sp. Again there was significant increase in root length, shoot dry weight and root dry weight with inoculation of D. phaseolorum, P. oxalicum and Fusarium sp. on the growth of C. arietinum. However, no significant difference was observed between S. monosporum and uninoculated treatment on the growth of rice variety Gomati and C. arietinum. The results indicated that out of four, P. oxalicum, Fusarium sp. and D. phaseolorum were better plant growth promoting endophytic fungi.