Studies on the diversity of non-mycorrhizal fungi in bryophyte plants found in the Nilgiris, Tamil Nadu

Bryophytes create the most abundant microfungi in the Nilgiris Biosphere Reserve, while endophytic fungi infect healthy plant tissues without triggering any symptoms. Bryophytes form the most abundant micro fungal in the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, while endophytic fungi infect healthy plant tissues without triggering any symptoms. In this study, we investigated the endophytic fungal associated with diversity with bryophytes of a common Mosses. We examined fungal diversity and host assemblage in five species of bryophyte moss from the evergreen forest of NBR. A total of 37 endophyte species were isolated from 500 tissue segments of the five plants, with 37 species recovered from more than one host. We identified various groups of fungi, including Ascomycetes, Coelomycetes, Hyphomycetes, Zygomycetes, and others that are present in the evergreen forest. Additionally, fungal species diversity in plant tissues of mosses from bryophyte plants has a slightly different pattern. Aspergillus, Cheatomium globosum, Fusarium oxysporum, Phomopsis, Rhizopus stolonifer, Sardaria fimicola and Xylaria species were found to be most abundant in colonization and most common fungal species found in all plants. Our findings involve that the survival of several fungal species, even in small areas, and those bryophytes are critical to ensuring fungal diversity in this extreme climate. published by the Journal of Biodiversity and Environmental Sciences | JBES