Herbicidal activities of endophytic fungi and its secondary metabolites

The potential herbicidal effect of some endophytic fungi isolated from the Chenopodium album was investigated. The leaves of C. album were surface sterilized, five endophytic fungi were isolated and identified by morphological and molecular methods as Fusarium chlamydosporum (MG786540), Fusarium oxysporum (MG786541), Alternaria alternata (MG786542), Alternaria alternata (MG786545) and Phoma sp. The herbicidal activities of the endophytes mycelia and culture filtrates were screened on Echinochloa crus-galli grass in Petri dishes. A. alternata MG786542 culture filtrate was the most active in reducing root and shoot growth of E. crus-galli by 59% and 20.4%, respectively. Pot experiment was done to study the pre-emergence and herbicidal activities of A. alternata MG786542 culture filtrate. The seed germination was significantly reduced and delayed and root and shoot growth was significantly reduced by 39.6% and 13% correspondingly. The culture filtrate was extracted and purified by column chromatography and preparative thin layer chromatography (PTLC). All fractions were tested for their herbicidal activity and those most active herbicidal secondary metabolites were identified by (HNMR)-H-1. Dodecane had moderate herbicidal activity (25% and 28% reduction of root and shoot growth respectively).