APPLICATION OF 5.8 S GENE AND ITS, PCR-RFLP PATTERNS IN TAXONOMY OF NEOTYPHODIUM ENDOPHYTIC FUNGI

Endophytic fungi have mutualistic relationship with the plant family Poaceae. These fungi confer characteristics such as yield increase and biotic and abiotic stress resistance to host plants. Endophytes are classified in the familyClavicipitaceae. The endophytes spend all their life cycle in the aerial parts of plant hosts and live intercellularly. In the present investigation, endophytic fungi were isolated from seed and leaf sheath of Festuca arundinaceae, F. ovina, F. pratensis, Bromus tomentellus, Melica persica and Lolium prenne. Genomic DNA was extracted and three sets of primers: ITS1/ITS4, IS1/IS3 and 111/112 were used to detect and identify endophytes. The results of PCR with three paires of primers indicated that most of isolates used in research were endophytic fungi belonging to Neotyphodium and isolates of F. arundinacea were N. coenophialum.