Fungal Endophyte Diversity in Tribulus terrestris from Tamil Nadu’s Delta Region | InformativeBD

K. Hemalatha, and G. Venkatesan, from the different institute of India. wrote a Research Article about, Fungal Endophyte Diversity in Tribulus terrestris from Tamil Nadu’s Delta Region. Entitled, Fungal endophytic communities in Tribulus terrestris L. collected from the delta region of Tamil Nadu, South India. This research paper published by the International Journal of Biosciences (IJB). an open access scholarly research journal on Biosciences. under the affiliation of the International Network For Natural Sciences| INNSpub. an open access multidisciplinary research journal publisher.

Abstract

Tribulus (Tribulus terrestris L.) is an annual, silky herb plant belonging to the Zygophyllaceae family widely distributed around the world. Small woody Plant, leaves are compound and opposite and fruit have long, sharp and strong spines. The leaf, root and fruit of the plant have been utilized medicinally in traditionally Ayurvedic medicine Siddha and Unani for their phytochemical and pharmacological activities. An assemblage of endophytic fungi was isolated from Tribulus terrestris L. collected from the Delta Region of Tamil Nadu, India. Fungal endophytes were isolated using leaf surface sterilization standard methods. Thirty-one species and 21 (genus) endophytic fungal strains were isolated from the leaves, petioles and stems of Tribulus terrestris. The identification of fungal strain through morphological observation from standard manuals and showed that fungal endophytes were associated with host plants belonging to a few taxons of Alternaria, Cladosporium, Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, Curvularia, Fusarium and Phyllosticta capitalensis fungi that were frequently isolated. The endophytic fungus   Fusarium oxysporum was the dominant species in this study; it was isolated from host plant samples during wet and dry seasons.

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Introduction

Endophytes have been known about for a long time. The term endophyte was actually coined in 1884 by Heinrich Anton de Bary, who recognized that fungi and bacteria could dwell within plant tissues without causing any apparent harm. Endophytes are microbes that are bacteria, fungi and actinomycetes that live inside the tissues of plants for the entire or part of their life cycle without causing any disease to the host (Arpita et al., 2022). These are ubiquitous microorganisms, reported in almost all the vascular plants and bryophytes studied to date (Hardoim et al., 2015; Venkatesan and Mahalakshmi, 2022). Fungal endophytes have been isolated from lichens, moss, ferns and gymnosperms, monocotyledonous and dicotyledonous plants, growing in different environments (Petrini et al., 1990). They are found in every part of plants, that is leaves, fruits, flowers, stems, roots and seeds and are transmitted by horizontal or vertical means (Bacon and White, 2000; Hartley and Gange, 2009). These microbes have potential applications in agricultural, pharmaceutical and other industries.

Endophyte constitutes an important component of microbial biodiversity. Diverse fungal community composition and isolation of endophytes are found in various host plants. The relationship of endophytes with single or multiple plant hosts can be described in terms of host specificity, host selectivity or host preference and host recurrence (Cohen, 2006). The endophytic fungal community confirmed host specificity at the species level but this specificity could be influenced by environmental conditions (Cohen, 2004). Differences in endophytic fungal assemblages in different tissue types have been reported in the same plant species, or even in different tissues of an individual plant which is a reflection of tissue specificity. Endophytic fungi can be found in every part of the plant such as the leaf, stem, root, flower, fruit, and seed.

Endophytic fungi can produce secondary metabolites that depend on their host plant. Those secondary metabolites protect the host plant itself and can act as antimicrobials and antivirus.

Moreover, the use of secondary metabolites of endophytes could also reduce the overexploitation of medicinal plants as the source materials of drugs and the production cost of medicines (Dhanalakhsmi et al., 2013; Kursia et al., 2018). Endophytic fungi isolated from medicinal plants are considered an attractive source of novel bioactive compounds (Strobel et al., 2004; Kumar et al., 2014). Various types of plants can be used as the hosts for endophytic fungi. The endophytic fungi from medicinal plants is a source of beneficial secondary metabolites. It also can produce bioactive compounds which have the potential to be materials for producing modern medicine or agrochemical applications (Widowati et al., 2016; Praptiwi et al., 2018). Its various parts contain a variety of chemical constituents that are medicinally important such as flavonoids, flavonol glycosides, steroidal saponins, and alkaloids. Tribulus terrestris L. is used in folk medicine as a tonic, aphrodisiac, palliative, astringent, stomachic, antihypertensive, diuretic, lithotriptic, and urinary disinfectant, antiurolithic, immunomodulatory, antidiabetic, absorption enhancing, hypolipidemic, cardiotonic, hepatoprotective, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antispasmodic, anticancer, antibacterial, anthelmintic, larvicidal, and anticariogenic activities.

The dried fruit of the herb is very effective in most of the genitourinary tract disorders. It is a vital constituent of Gokshuradi Guggul (it helps in treating renal calculi or kidney stones, it helps in treating urinary tract infections), a potent Ayurvedic medicine used to support the proper functioning of the genitourinary tract and to remove urinary stones.

Tribulus terrestris L. has been used for centuries in Ayurveda to treat impotence, venereal diseases and sexual debility. In Bulgaria, the plant is used as a folk medicine for treating impotence. In addition to all these applications, the Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India attributes cardio tonic properties to the root and fruit. In traditional Chinese medicine, fruits are used for the treatment of eye trouble, oedema, abdominal distension, emission, morbid leucorrhea, and sexual dysfunction. Tribulus terrestris L. is described as a highly valuable drug in the Shern - Nong Pharmacopoeia (the oldest known pharmacological work in China) in restoring the depressed liver, for treatment of fullness in the chest, mastitis, flatulence, acute conjunctivitis, headache, and vitiligo (Vitiligo is a disease that causes loss of skin color in patches). In Unani medicine, Tribulus terrestris L. is used as a diuretic, mild laxative, and general tonic (Gilman, 1971). One of the plant species that can be a host for endophytic fungi is Tribulus terrestris L.

This study was conducted to investigate the abundance and diversity of endophytic fungi inhabiting Tribulus terrestris collected from the Delta Region of Tamil Nadu, India.

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Source : Fungal endophytic communities in Tribulus terrestris L. collected from the delta region of TamilNadu, South India