Advanced Journal of Microbiology Research

Advanced Journal of Microbiology Research ISSN 2241-9837 Vol. 13 (5), pp. 001-003, May, 2019. © International Scholars Journals

Short Communication

Endophytic Fusarium spp. from wild banana (Musa acuminata) roots

Latiffah Zakaria^1,2* and Nur Hidayah Abdul Rahman¹

¹School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 USM, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia.

²Centre of Marine and Coastal Studies, Universiti Sains Malaysia (CEMACS-Mukahead), 11800 USM, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia.

Accepted 23 January, 2019

Abstract

Endophytic Fusarium species were isolated from roots of wild banana (Musa acuminata) collected randomly in several locations in Penang Island, Malaysia. A total of 54 isolates of Fusarium were recovered from 100 root fragments. Based on morphological features of macroconidia, microconidia and conidiogenous cells, three Fusarium species were identified in which the most common species was F. oxysporum (41.5%) followed by F. solani (32.1%) and F. semitectum (24.5%). The present study showed that there are diverse endophytic Fusarium species in the roots of wild banana and has the potential to be used as biological control agents.