Abstract
The present study, provides an information on the colonization of endophytic fungi'in three desert medicinal plants, i.e. Artemesia sieberii, Citrillus colocynthis and Moringa peregrine, along with their biological activities. The highest colonization frequency (CF) and endophytic infection rate (EIR), was observed in C colocynthis (87.5% & 81.25%), respectively, followed by A. sieberii (62.5 & 56.25%) and M. peregrine (37.5 & 31.25%), respectively. The colonization frequency was highest in leaves, when compared to the stem parts. Among the screened isolates, three selected endophytes, (ART 7) from A. sieberii, (CTC11) from C colocynthis and (MOP5) from M. peregrine, with the zone of inhibition greater than 12 mm, were further evaluated for minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC). MIC against gram positive was ranging from 125 to 1000 mu g/ml and 250 to 2000 mu g/ml against gram negative. Thus, gram-positive strains, were found to be more susceptible. CTC11 from C. colocynthis showed fairly better MIC, against both gram positive and gram-negative organisms, ranging from 125 to 500 mu g/ml and 250 to 1000 mu g/ml, respectively. The total phenolic content was determined, (ART 7) from A. sieberii, was found to possess a high phenolic content (12.6 +/- 0.16). Therefore, the significant antimicrobial activity, reducing power and total phenolic content of the isolates, suggests the use of endophytes of desert medicinal plants, as a rich and reliable source of industrially important compounds.