XVI International Botanical Congess

Fungal endophytes, which represent a potential source of novel secondary metabolites, are reported for the first time from neem. Neem leaves and bark were screened periodically for 19 months. About 2000 samples were analyzed for each type of tissue. Only eight endophytes were present. Fusarium avenaceum occurred in leaves and bark, Talaromyces sp. And two sterile mycelia were isolated only from bark. Four other sterile fungi were unique to the leaves. The frequency of colonization by the endophytes depended on the type and age of tissue and rainfall. Antifungal metabolites of neem leaves did not affect the growth of the endophytes. Neem leaf surface wax inhibited spore germination of non-endophytic fungi but not that of Fusarium avenaceum. The endophytes influenced plant cell division and rice germination indicating the production of bioactive compounds by them.