Evaluation of cellulase production by endophytic fungi isolated from young and mature leaves of medicinal plants using maize cob substrate

Endophytic fungi in medicinal plants aid in producing useful therapeutic compounds and enzymes. Among the most useful enzymes are cellulases. However, cellulase enzyme production in endophytic fungi of Azadirachta indica and Aloe secundiflora has not been comprehensively explored. The objective of this study was to; isolate and identify endophytic fungi from the leaves of young and mature plants of A. indica and A. secundiflora, determine colonization frequency of the endophytic fungi, and evaluate and optimize the cellulase production by the endophytic fungi on maize cob media. Eleven fungal endophytic isolates were obtained from the leaves of both A. secundiflora and A. indica, collected in Kitui and Kiambu Counties in total: Six from Kitui County and five from Kiambu County. Penicillium Sp. had highest colonization frequency in Kitui, while Candida sp. had highest in Kiambu. For enzyme optimization, isolates Candida boidinii, Galactomyces candidum, and Candida stellimalicola produced the highest amounts of Fpases and endoglucanases on third, sixth and ninth days. High exoglucanase producers were Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, Galactomyces candidum, and Candida stellimalicola. The endophytic communities within the leaves of A. indica and A. secundiflora are diverse. Maize cob agrowaste media can be used to cultivate the production of cellulases successfully in fungal endophytic isolates of A. indica and A. secundiflora. The study concluded that the endophytes of A. indica and A. secundiflora can be harnessed and optimized to secrete cellulase enzymes for commercial use, and especially isolates G. candidum and C. stellimalicola which yield significantly high amounts of total cellulases, endoglucanases and exoglucanases.