Diversity and extracellular enzyme activities of fungal endophytes isolated from medicinal plants of Western Ghats, Karnataka

A total of 112 endophytic fungi belonging to 26 genera were isolated from six wild medicinal plants belonging to Bisle region, Western Ghats of Karnataka, among which Hedychium flavescens Carey ex Roscoe and Hedychium coronarium J. Koenig are listed as endangered plants in the Red data book. The endophytic fungal diversity and extracellular enzyme activity from the endangered plants are reported for the first time. The diversity of the fungal isolates was analyzed using Simpson's diversity indices, Shannon-Weiner index and Evenness. The fungal isolates were screened for the production of extracellular enzymes, of which 29% were positive for amylase, 28% for cellulase, 18% for pectinase and 40% for asparaginase activity. None of the endophytic isolates depicted laccase activity.