Diversity and Phylogeny of Root Fungal Endophytes Associated with Lahar-grown Pioneering Grass Saccharum spontaneum L.

Fungal endophytes can enhance nutrient uptake and induce resistance in their host plants, leading to better plant growth and development. In this research, we report the occurrence and diversity of root fungal endophytes (RFE) associated with a grass species, Saccharum spontaneum L., which are growing in lahar areas along Sacobia River, Pampanga, northern Philippines. Lahar flow is a mixture of water and volcanic debris. This study identified the isolated sixty- eight RFE through morpho-cultural characterization and molecular analysis of ITS genes and classified these as belonging to nine genera – namely Aspergillus, Cladosporium, Epicoccum, Fusarium, Penicillium, Purpureocillium, Talaromyces, Trichoderma, and Rhizoctonia. Analysis of the rarefaction curve showed a 75% sampling effort, with Host Plants 1 and 3 having the most diverse species. Our study highlighted the enormous diversity of fungal endophytes from three host plants that thrive in areas affected by volcanic activities.