Isolation and Morphological Characterization of Putative Fungal Endophytes Associated with Banana (Musa spp.) Leaves

The extent of knowledge regarding the diversity of fungal endophytes associated with banana leaves and their potential effects on plant health remains limited. This study contributed to addressing this knowledge gap by isolating endophytes. In this study, five putative fungal endophytes were isolated from the leaves of a banana (Lakatan cultivar) collected from Tupi, South Cotabato using an optimized surface sterilization protocol. The isolated fungal endophytes were subjected to an examination of their cultural and morphological characteristics. Except for one isolate, all demonstrated the ability to sporulate. The results revealed a rich diversity of fungal endophytes inhabiting banana leaves, with each isolate exhibiting distinct cultural and morphological traits. Notably, the growth patterns and colony appearances varied after seven days of incubation at room temperature. For cultural characteristics, surface mycelia color of the isolates on PDA plates ranged from dark green, pinkish-white, and white. Texture characteristics of the fungal isolates ranged from powder thick, velvety, and cottony. Different zonation patterns were observed among the isolated putative fungal endophytes. Furthermore, each isolate displayed unique morphological characteristics, such as varying spore production. conidia observation, and distinctive shapes and clustering patterns. To further confirm the endophytic nature of the isolates, molecular identification, and antimicrobial assays are recommended.