Abstract
Endophytic are microorganisms that are located within the host tissues, often bacteria and fungi, they have many forms of relationship with the host. Additionally, they have symbiotic relationship with the host, which may be mutualistic, parasitic and in commensalism. Parasitic endophytic fungi cause diseases and reduces the fitness of the host; in a mutualistic relationship both the host endophyte benefit from each other and commensalism the host may benefit and or the endophyte and the other does not benefit nor cause harm. Fungal endophytes are found within the host tissues, without causing any apparent diseases and are a rich source of bioactive metabolites. Moreover, they have proven to improve the health of host against abiotic and biotic stresses and exhibited to protect the plant from attacks by herbivores and insects. Endophytes produce bioactive chemicals that are potent source of novel natural products, useful in different sectors of pharmacology, agriculture, medicine, textile and biofuel. In the present study, fungal endophytes were isolated, characterised and identified from an alien weed Solanum mauritianum Scopoli and tested against pathogenic microorganisms. Secondary metabolites were synthesized from endophytes, screened for the presence of phytochemical and antimicrobial activity against pathogenic microorganisms that includes the two mycobacterium species, Mycobacterium bovis and Mycobacterium smegmatis...
D.Tech. (Biotechnology)