Endophytic Fungal Species Isolated from Mangrove Trees Rhizophora apiculata, Nypa fruticans, and Xylocarpus granatum from Brunei Darussalam

Abstract

An attempt made to isolate the mangrove endophytes from Rhizophora apiculata, Nypa fruticans, and Xylocarpus granatum has shown the presence of about 28 different strains of endophytic fungi belonging to the phyla Ascomycota. Rhizophora apiculata was found to possess highly diverse endophytic species compared to Nypa fruticans and Xylocarpus granatum. Furthermore, the leaves of the mangrove trees were found to serve as a rich source of endophytic fungal species compared to other segments studied. Moreover, it was observed that the leaf acted as a major source of endophytic fungi in Rhizophora apiculata and Nypa fruticans, whereas barks were found to have a high number of species in Xylocarpus granatum.