Diversity of endophytic and rhizosphere soil fungi of suaeda monica in maravakadu mangrove forest

Muthupet range now consists of six Reserved Forests, viz, Muthpet RF, Thuravikadu RF, Vadakadu RF, Maravakadu RF, Thamarankottai RF, and Palanjur RF. Maravakadu RF (area: 1490.12 ha.): Maravakadu RF was created as per G.O.Ms.No.721, forests and Fisheries, Dept., 6th July 1979 with an area of 1356.07 ha. The Maravakadu RF Extn. Bit-I was created as per Govt.Ir. no.56675/FR-III/86-9, dt 20.8.87 with an area of 134.05. ha. The Maravakadu RF is located in Pattukottai taluk of Thanjavur district. The term “endophytes” includes a suite of microorganisms that grow intra-and/or intercellularly in the tissues of higher plants without causing over symptoms on the plants in which they live, and have proven to be rich sources of bioactive natural products (Tan and Zou, 2001). Suaeda monica leaves and rhizosphere soil of the plant was collected during four seasons, premonsoon, monsoon, post monsoon and summer. Sterilized and fragmented leaves were maintained in petridishes with Potato Dextrose Agar medium (PDA) at 280 C until the isolation of the fungi. Soil fungi was isolated using Warcup, 1950 method. Thirty species representing 11 genera, 3 morphotypes determined as mycelia sterilia. Maximum number of fungi isolated from the fresh leaves of Suaeda monica. Phoma sp, Aspergillus sp and Penicillium sp were most frequently isolated. 9 species recorded from soil and endophytic fungi. Choanephora present only in rhizosphere soil. Maximum number of fungi isolated from summer season, minimum number of fungi isolated from monsoon season. Majority of the fungi belongs to Ascomycota and Deuteromycota.