Endophytic fungi of wild oats: identification and antifungal potential

Abstract

This study aims to inventory the endophytic fungi colonizing the stems of Avena sterilis ssp. sterilis, a wild cereal, and to evaluate their antagonistic activity against two major cereal phytopathogenic fungi: Fusarium oxysporum and Helminthosporium sp. The isolation of mycoendophytes was carried out on PDA medium, followed by purification and morphological identification (both macroscopic and microscopic). Among the identified fungal species were Alternaria alternata, Penicillium roqueforti, Ulocladium chartarum, Mucor sp., Geotrichum candidum, and Rhizoctonia solani. Co-culture experiments were conducted to assess their inhibitory potential against the two targeted phytopathogens. The inhibition rate was calculated, and inhibition zones were classified according to the Narayane scale. The results reveal a promising antifungal potential in several isolates, suggesting that the endophytes of A. sterilis ssp. sterilis could represent a valuable biological resource for the biocontrol of fungal diseases in cereals