Isolation of endophytic fungi from Styrax sumatrana tree from Humbang Hasundutan, North Sumatra

Abstract

Endophytic fungi are a group of microorganisms colonizing the plant tissue without exposing hazardous effects to their host. Higher plants have endophytic microbes that produce bioactive compounds or secondary metabolites. The aim of the study was to isolate and identify endophytic fungi from the leaves, stems and bark of Styrax sumatrana. Samples of Styrax sumatrana leaves, stems and bark were collected from Huta Gurgur Village, Dolok Sanggul District, Humbang Hasundutan Regency, North Sumatra. Potato dextrose agar (PDA) was used as an isolation medium for endophytic fungi. The collection of endophytic fungal isolates was identified molecularly using ITS1 and ITS4 primers. This study obtained a total of 12 isolates of endophytic fungi, in which five isolates from bark, five isolates from stems and two isolates from leaves. Based on molecular identifications, the 12 isolates belonging to four genera, namely Fusarium, Phyllosticta, Neopestalotiopsis and Pithomyces.