Preliminary screening of endophytic fungi from tridax procumbenslinn. and argemone mexicana linn. for their antimicrobial activity

TridaxprocumbensLinn.andArgemonemexicanaLinn. are the two important medicinal plants used in the present study to determine the colonisation frequencyof endophytic bacteria, actinomycetes&fungi and antimicrobial activity of fungi. The endophytic fungi from leaves,stem and roots of both the plants were identified based on the morphology and characteristics of fungal spores. The crude extracts of fermentation broth of endophytic fungi were prepared in ethyl acetate, diethyl ether and water for testing against pathogenic microorganisms such as Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonasaeruginosa, Escherichia coli and Candida albicansby agar well diffusion method. The ethyl acetate and diethyl ether extracts of Aspergillusflavuswere found to inhibit the growth of both Gram positive as well as Gram negative bacteria. The diethyl ether extracts of Aspergillusfumigatusshowed inhibitory effects against Candida albicans.The data shows that endophyticAspergillusflavusobtained from Tridaxprocumbensappears to show broad spectrum antimicrobial properties.