Fungal endophytes of three sand dune plant species of west coast of India

Roots of three plant species (Ipomoea pes-caprae, Launaea sarmentosa and Po lycarpaea corymbosa) established on the coastal sand dunes of west coast of India were examined for the presence of endophytic fungi by plating on mal t extract agar and using damp incubation techniques. From 180 root segments , 220 fungal isolates were recovered that belonged to 31 filamentous fungal species (19 Deuteromycetes, six Ascomycetes and six sterile fungi). Platin g consistently yielded more fungal isolates as well as species than damp in cubation. Chaetomium globosum and Torula caligans were more frequently reco vered on MEA, and Fusarium sp. after damp incubation. Among the endophytes 13% belonged to marine fungal taxa (Monodictys pelagica, Periconia prolific a, Verruculina enalia and Zalerion maritimum). Even though arenicolous fung i have adapted to coastal sand dune ecosystem, none of them were recovered as root endophytes. A maximum of 21 and up to seven fungal species per segm ent were recorded from I. pes-caprae. Based on the rarefaction index, the e xpected number of species was higher in I. pes-caprae as compared to other two plant species. In this pilot trial Acremonium was extensively isolated. Endophytic Acremonium is known to decrease the arbuscular mycorrhizal fung al colonisation and reproduction, but there seem to be no such effects on c oastal sand dune plant species studied.