Diversity and Antimicrobial Activity of Endophytic Fungi from the Medicinal Plant Pelargonium graveolens (geranium) in Middle Egypt

This study assesses the diversity and antimicrobial activity of the Pelargonium graveolens-associated endophytic fungi in Beni-Suef, Egypt. P. graveolens is a medicinal plant very common in Beni-Suef area and is used basically as a source of the expensive geranium oil. A total of 280 isolates belonging to 20 morphologically different fungal species have been isolated from root, leaf, and stem of P. graveolens. Identification of the isolates has been carried out by combining the morphological and molecular methods. Also, antifungal activity against plant and human pathogens has been tested using a dual culture method. Results show that P. graveolens is extensively colonized by fungi that live inside it systematically at least during the test. The root exhibits the highest colonization frequency CF% and isolation rate IR% (96% and 99% respectively). All the isolates belong to the phylum ascomycetes, and phylogenetic analysis shows that they are relatively related genetically. The most occurring genera are Aspergillus and its teleomorph Emericella (CF=28%). Most of the isolates exhibit antifungal activity against one or more of the tested pathogens. The maximum inhibition rate is for Emericella nidulans (E6658) against Microsporum audouinii (80%). Aspergillus niger (E6657) and Penicillium sp. (E6651) show very strong activity against all the tested pathogenic fungi. Keywords; Endophytic Fungi, Medicinal Plant, Molecular Identification, Phylogenetic Tree, Pelargonium Graveolens. Antifungal Activity. * Corresponding author e-mail: micro_sa2010@yahoo.com.