Endophytic fungi of some medicinal plants in Egypt

Thirty endophytic fungal species were isolated from eight healthy medicinal plants grown in their natural habitat in Egypt. These plants were basil, green onion, green pepper, mint, roselle, watercress, white radish and tagetes. Isolates were identified on the basis of morphological characteristics into 14 genera namely Acremonium, Alternaria, Aspergillus, Cladosporium, Cochliobolus, Epicoccum, Fusarium, Geosmithia, Macrophomina, Paecilomyces, Penicillium, Rhizopus, Scopulariopsis and Trichoderma. Also, a dark septate sterile mycelium isolate belonging to mycelia sterilia group was isolated. These endophytic fungi were evaluated for their biocontrol ability against Fusarium oxysporum the causal agent of wheat root rot disease. Alternaria alternata and Cochliobolus lunatus showed the highest antagonistic activity (71.43 % inhibition value) against the tested Fusarium oxysporum followed by Fusarium oxysporum and Cladosporium cladosporioides with percentages of 68.57 % and 60%, respectively.