Skip to main navigation menu Skip to main content Skip to site footer
Plant Science Today (PST)

Research Articles

Vol. 13 No. sp6 (2026): National Conference on “Harnessing Genetic Resources for Food Security: Innovations in Conservation and Utilization for Sustainable Crop Improvement in Northeast Region”

Spectrum of fungal endophytes in banana species of Nagaland, India

DOI
https://doi.org/10.14719/pst.14320
Submitted
3 March 2026
Published
18-08-2026

Abstract

Fungal endophytes represent microbial communities and are found in different plant tissues that include leaves and roots and exhibit a wide range of beneficial interactions with its host plant. Nagaland, a Northeast state of India consists of vast number of wild bananas growing throughout the hilly terrain of the state. However, the association of this wild banana with the microbe community has not been studied and poorly understood. In this study, focus was made to isolate fungal endophytes from healthy leaves and roots of wild and cultivated banana from four districts of Nagaland during 2021–24. Altogether, 281 fungal endophytes were isolated and out of these, 246 isolates were obtained from wild banana and 35 isolates from cultivated banana plant. A total of 135 isolates belonging to 15 genera were identified, with 14 genera under Ascomycota and one as Mucoromycota. The identified isolates belonged to the genera Penicillium, Trichoderma, Fusarium, Colletotrichum, Diaporthe, Apiospora, Aspergillus, Pestalotiopsis, Mucor, Phomopsis, Botrytis, Helminthosporium, Alternaria, Beauveria and Cladosporium. Molecular identification using ITS 1 and 4 primers was also carried out for some selected isolates (24 nos.). Relative abundance (Ra) showed that among the identified genera, the highest Ra was in Diaporthe sp. with 5.39 %. A diverse group of fungal endophyte genera was found which could be due to the geographical location of collection sites, rich diversity of banana present in this region. Moreover, with limited information on endophytic fungi inhibiting banana species of Nagaland, this study gives a novel understanding of the unexplored community of fungi.

References

  1. 1. Hyde KD. Increasing the likelihood of novel compound discovery from fungi. In: Pointing SB, Hyde KD, editors. Bio-exploitation of filamentous fungi. Fungal Diversity Research Series No. 6. Hong Kong: Fungal Diversity Press; 2001. p. 77–91.
  2. 2. Nelson KE, Nelson BJ. Genetic diversity of microbial endophytes and their biotechnical applications. In: Strobel G, editor. Genomics applications for the developing world: advances in microbial ecology. New York: Springer Science + Business Media; 2012. p. 249–62. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-2182-5_14
  3. 3. Sieber TN. Fungal root endophytes. In: Waisel Y, Eshel A, Kafkafi U, editors. Plant roots: the hidden half. New York/Basel: Marcel Dekker; 2002. p. 887–917. https://doi.org/10.1201/9780203909423.ch49
  4. 4. Schulz B, Boyle C. The endophytic continuum. Mycol Res. 2005;109(6):661–86. https://doi.org/10.1017/S095375620500273X
  5. 5. Souza A, Cruz JC, Souza NR, Procopio AR, Silva GF. Endophytic bacteria from banana cultivars and their antifungal activity. Genet Mol Res. 2014;13:8661–70. https://doi.org/10.4238/2014.October.27.8
  6. 6. Thangavelu R, Gopi M. Combined application of native Trichoderma isolates possessing multiple functions for the control of Fusarium wilt disease in banana cv. Grand Naine. Biocontrol Sci Technol. 2015;25:1147–64. https://doi.org/10.1080/09583157.2015.1036727
  7. 7. Andrade LF, Souza GLOD, Nietsche S, Pereira MCT, Pereira DFGS. Analysis of the abilities of endophytic bacteria associated with banana tree roots to promote plant growth. J Microbiol. 2014;52:27–34. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12275-014-3019-2
  8. 8. Souza GLOD, Silva DF, Nietsche S, Xavier AA, Pereira MCT. Endophytic bacteria used as bioinoculants in micropropagated banana seedlings. Rev Bras Frutic. 2017;39:e732. https://doi.org/10.1590/0100-2945201732
  9. 9. Brown KB, Hyde KD, Guest DI. Preliminary studies on endophytic fungal communities of Musa acuminata species complex in Hong Kong and Australia. Fungal Divers. 1998;1:27–51.
  10. 10. Photita W, Lumyong S, Lumyong P, Hyde KD. Endophytic fungi of wild banana (Musa acuminata) at Doi Suthep Pui National Park, Thailand. Mycol Res. 2001;105(12):1508–13. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0953756201004968
  11. 11. Zakaria L, Jamil MIM, Anuar ISM. Molecular characterisation of endophytic fungi from roots of wild banana (Musa acuminata). Trop Life Sci Res. 2016;27(1):153–63.
  12. 12. Zakaria L, Aziz WNW. Molecular identification of endophytic fungi from banana leaves (Musa spp.). Trop Life Sci Res. 2018;29(2):201–11. https://doi.org/10.21315/tlsr2018.29.2.14
  13. 13. Schulz B, Wanke U, Draeger S, Aust HJ. Endophytes from herbaceous plants and shrubs: effectiveness of surface sterilization methods. Mycol Res. 1993;97(12):1447–50. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0953-7562(09)80215-3
  14. 14. Fröhlich J, Hyde KD, Petrini O. Endophytic fungi associated with palms. Mycol Res. 2000;104:1202–12. https://doi.org/10.1017/S095375620000263X
  15. 15. Schoch CL, Seifert KA, Huhndorf S, Robert V, Spouge JL, Levesque CA, et al. Nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region as a universal DNA barcode marker for fungi. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2012;109(16):6241–46. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1117018109
  16. 16. White TJ, Bruns T, Lee S, Taylor J. Amplification and direct sequencing of fungal ribosomal RNA genes for phylogenetics. In: Innis MA, Gelfand DH, Sninsky JJ, White TJ, editors. PCR protocols: a guide to methods and applications. San Diego: Academic Press; 1990. p. 315–22. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-372180-8.50042-1
  17. 17. Shandy C, Achacoso AMP, Walag LLS. A rapid assessment of foliage spider fauna diversity in Sinaloc, El Salvador City, Philippines: a comparison between habitats receiving different degrees of disturbance. Biodiversity. 2016;17(4):156–61. https://doi.org/10.1080/14888386.2016.1258331
  18. 18. Ellis MB. Dematiaceous Hyphomycetes. 1st ed. England: Commonwealth Mycological Institute; 1971. https://doi.org/10.1079/9780851986180.0000
  19. 19. Leslie JF, Summerell BA. The Fusarium Laboratory Manual. Iowa (US): Blackwell Publishing Ltd.; 2007. https://doi.org/10.1002/9780470278376
  20. 20. Barseghyan GS, Wasser SP. Species diversity of hypogeous ascomycetes in Israel. Mycobiology. 2010;38(3):159–65. https://doi.org/10.4489/MYCO.2010.38.3.159
  21. 21. Rodrigues KF. The foliar fungal endophytes of the Amazonian palm Euterpe oleracea. Mycologia. 1994;86:376–85. https://doi.org/10.1080/00275514.1994.12026423
  22. 22. Rodrigues KF, Samuels GJ. Preliminary study of endophytic fungi in tropical palms. Mycol Res. 1990;94:827–30. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0953-7562(09)81386-5
  23. 23. Butin H, von Halmschlager E, Donaubauer E. Endophytische pilze in blättern und zweigen von Quercus petraea. Eur J For Pathol. 1993;23:51–63. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1439-0329.1993.tb00805.x
  24. 24. Henao SZ, Vásquez MCH, Hoyos LFP, Torres JDS, Hoyos-Carvajal LM. Fungal endophytes in bananas cv. Manzano affected by Fusarium. Afr J Agric Res. 2019;14(7):430–38. https://doi.org/10.5897/AJAR2018.13736
  25. 25. Panda J, Vetrivelkalai P, Bhagawati B, Gupta N. Diversity of endophytic fungi in banana cultivars of Assam, India. J Bot Res. 2023;5(2):49–58. https://doi.org/10.30564/jbr.v5i2.5582
  26. 26. Mohanty N, Gupta N. Diversity and antagonistic potential of fungal endophytes of banana varieties grown in Odisha, India. Int J Plant Pathol Microbiol. 2021;1(2):57–61.
  27. 27. Nicoletti R, Fiorentino A, Scognamiglio M. Endophytism of Penicillium species in woody plants. Open Mycol J. 2014;8:1–26. https://doi.org/10.2174/1874437001408010001
  28. 28. Carroll GC. Forest endophytes: pattern and process. Can J Bot. 1995;73(Suppl 1):S1316–24. https://doi.org/10.1139/b95-393
  29. 29. Sun X, Guo LD. Endophytic fungal diversity: review of traditional and molecular techniques. Mycology. 2012;3:65–76. https://doi.org/10.1080/21501203.2012.656724
  30. 30. Xia X, Lie TK, Qian X, Zheng Z, Huang Y, Shen Y. Species diversity, distribution and genetic structure of endophytic and epiphytic Trichoderma associated with banana roots. Microb Ecol. 2011;61:619–25. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00248-010-9770-y
  31. 31. Malubag AG, Parayao AM, Waing KGD. Identification of endophytic fungi associated with banana (Musa paradisiaca L.) and evaluation of its enzymatic abilities. Int J Agric Technol. 2021;17(3):941–58.
  32. 32. Liao C, Senanayake IC, Dong W, Chethana KWT, Tangtrakulwanich K, Zhang Y, et al. Taxonomic and phylogenetic updates on Apiospora: introducing four new species from Wurfbainia villosa and grasses in China. J Fungi. 2023;9:1087. https://doi.org/10.3390/jof9111087
  33. 33. Athman SY. Genetic diversity of endophytic Fusarium species associated with Cavendish banana in South Africa [dissertation]. Pretoria (South Africa): University of Pretoria; 2006.
  34. 34. Latiffah Z, Nur Hidayah A. Endophytic Fusarium spp. from wild banana (Musa acuminata) roots. Afr J Microbiol Res. 2011;5(21):3600–02. https://doi.org/10.5897/AJMR11.298
  35. 35. Maryani N, Yuliyanti S, Ramadhani I, Khastini RO, Leksono SM. Diversity of Fusarium endophytes isolated from wild bananas in Pandeglang, Indonesia. J Trop Biodivers Biotechnol. 2023;8(1):jtbb76897. https://doi.org/10.22146/jtbb.76897
  36. 36. Bendangsenla, Banik S, Ao NT, Pongener N, Devi HS, Maiti CS, et al. First report of entomopathogen Beauveria felina as a fungal endophyte in banana plants. Indian J Agric Res. 2025:1–4. https://doi.org/10.18805/IJARe.A-6418
  37. 37. Pijanowski W, Chmielewski S, Wysoczański W, Havrysh P, Turnau K, Lembicz M. Beauveria felina accelerates growth when competing with other potential endophytes. Environ Microbiol Rep. 2025;17:e70067. https://doi.org/10.1111/1758-2229.70067
  38. 38. Ramanujam B, Poornesha B, Kandan A, Mohan M, Sivakumar G. Natural occurrence of entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria felina (DC.) J.W. Carmich. on fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith). J Entomol Zool Stud. 2021;9(3):140–43. https://doi.org/10.22271/j.ento.2021.v9.i3b.8738
  39. 39. Cao LX, You JL, Zhou SN. Endophytic fungi from Musa acuminata leaves and roots in South China. World J Microbiol Biotechnol. 2002;18(2):169–71. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1014491528811

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.