Antifungal and enzymatic activities of endophytic fungi associated with <i>Tamarix nilotica</i>

Fungal endophytes were recovered from <i>Tamarix nilotica</i> (Tamaricaceae) roots and stems collected in Taif, Saudi Arabia. A total of 49 different taxa were identified. The overall colonization rate of root and stem segments was 30.6%. A total of 49 isolates were collected and categorized into 21 operational taxonomic units using the rRNA gene's internal transcribed spacer region. The most prevalent species were <i>Penicillium chrysogenum</i> (16 isolates), Fungal sp. (12), and <i>Alternaria alternata</i> (10). Forty-nine isolates were investigated for antifungal activity against <i>Fusarium solani</i> and <i>Rhizoctonia solani</i>; all tested isolates showed antifungal activity against <i>Fusarium solani</i>, while 43 isolates showed antifungal activity against <i>Rhizoctonia solani</i>. The most potent antifungal agents against <i>Fusarium solani</i> and <i>Rhizoctonia solani</i> are <i>Aspergillus ochraceus</i> (2 isolates) and <i>Penicillium chrysogenum</i> (16 isolates). Endophytic isolates collected during this experiment were evaluated to produce amylase, cellulase, lipase, and protease enzymes. Among the strains examined for enzymatic potentials (4 enzymes), 26 strains (53% of the total strains) produce only one enzyme. <i>Penicillium chrysogenum</i> (TUPc2, 3, and 4) produced the highest amount of the four enzymes that were examined.