Isolation, characterization, and bioactivity of endophytic fungi of Tylophora indica

Dothediomycetes sp., Alternaria tenuissima, Thielavia subthermophila, Alternaria sp., Nigrospora oryzae, Colletotrichum truncatum, and Chaetomium sp. were isolated as endophytic fungi from leaves and stems of the medicinal plant, Tylophora indica, based on rDNA sequencing of ITS region and microscopic examination. Alternaria tenuissima, Colletotrichum truncatum, and Alternaria sp. were found to be active against both Sclerotinia sclerotiorum and Fusarium oxysporum. Chaetomium sp. showed very mild activity against Sclerotinia sclerotiorum and Fusarium oxysporum. Whereas Dothideomycete sp. and Thielavia subthermophila showed high activity against Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. Methanol extract of Dothediomycetes sp. showed 66. 5% growth inhibition (GI) at 500 µg/ml.