Taxonomic Diversity, Functional Guilds, and Spatial Distribution of Endophytic Fungi in Healthy Spinach via Amplicon Sequencing

Endophytic fungi, residing within plant tissues without causing disease, play critical roles in plant health and ecosystem dynamics. This study characterized the taxonomic composition, diversity, functional guilds, and spatial distribution of endophytic fungal communities in healthy spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) leaves using ITS1 amplicon sequencing. Surface-sterilized leaf samples were processed for DNA extraction, followed by Illumina MiSeq sequencing. Sequences were clustered into 24 operati