LAUSR

The present study was conducted to explore the seasonal distribution of culturable endophytic fungi in roots of invasive plants and to investigate the antimicrobial potential of endophytic fungi against some bacterial strains. The results revealed that a total of 109 isolates were recovered from the root of eight invasive plants. Fifty-seven and fifty-two isolates were isolated from wet and dry season, respectively. The colonization frequency of wet season was higher with white sterile hyphae having highest relative percentage occurrence. In dry season, Cladosporium sp. was dominant followed by Penicillium sp. In total, there were 13 species isolated from both the season. Out of 13 species, the extracellular mycelial extract of 7 species showed antimicrobial activity. The maximum inhibition was exhibited by Fusarium sp. against Escherichia coli. The least inhibition was shown by Cladosporium sp. against Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The mycelium extract of Fusarium sp. showed activity against both the Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria. The study provides a general idea of endophytic fungal colonization in the roots of invasive plants and its potential antimicrobial activity.