Endophytic fungi diversity of wild terrestrial plants in Kyrgyzstan

Abstract

A total of 255 species of wild medicinal plants were analyzed in Northern and Northeastern Kyrgyzstan;
from 150 plant species, 278 endophytic fungal isolates were identified. Endophytic fungi were frequently
recorded on members of large plant families: Asteraceae, Ranunculaceae, Rutaceae, Fabaceae,
Lamiaceae, Boraginaceae, Moraceae, Iridaceae, Euphorbiaceae and Brassicaceae. In the foothill
ecosystems, rich biodiversity and numerous species of endophytic fungi genera - Fusarium,
Acremonium, Cladosporium, Penicillium, Curvularia, Monilia, Rhizoctonia, Papularia, Botrytis and
Stemphylium - were registered. The comparison of the Shannon diversity index (HS) for the endophytic
fungi community showed a higher diversity of light-colored species (HS = 3.47) in foothill ecosystems
than in alpine systems (HS = 2.75), and a lower diversity in the middle mountains (HS = 2.46). Endophytes
were identified from all organs of plants. The most favorite habitats for fungi in plant body were root
tissues, followed by the stems and leaves, while the flower clusters and seeds were rarely colonized by
endophytes.