Diversity of Root Endophytic Fungi from Some Medicinal Plants of Papaveraceae in Iran

Papaveraceae encompasses some of the most significant and widely utilized plants within traditional medicine, pharmaceuticals, and food industries. This study aims to delineate the diversity of root endophytic fungi associated with Glaucium fimbrilligerum, G. contortuplicatum, Chelidonium majus, Papaver macrostomum, P. chelidoniifolium, P. pavoninum, and P. rhoeas from Iran. Molecular identification involved amplification and sequencing of LSU (partial large subunit nrDNA), ITS (internal transcribed spacer), TEF-1α (translation elongation factor), and TUB (β-tubulin) genomic regions. A total of 32 isolates of endophytic fungi were identified. Approximately 96.87% of these fungi belonged to Ascomycota, with only Irpex laceratus isolated and identified from G. fimbrilligerum as Basidiomycota. Fusarium was the predominant genus, representing 34.37% of endophytic fungi, followed by Sarocladium, Alternaria, and Cladosporium at 18.75%, 9.375%, and 6.25%, respectively. F. proliferatum was found to colonize 71.42% of plants, including P. macrostomum, P. chelidoniifolium, P. pavoninum, P. rhoeas, and C. majus. The fungus isolate S. strictum was recovered from 42.85% of various plant species, including G. fimbrilligerum, G. contortuplicatum, and P. chelidoniifolium. Moreover, this investigation represents the inaugural documentation of endophytic behavior exhibited by the fungi A. japonica and S. implicatum within plant species, as no previous literature has reported such occurrences. Consequently, this study unveils novel insights into the population of endophytic fungi associated with seven medicinal plants belonging to the Papaveraceae family. These findings not only enrich our understanding of fungal biodiversity but also hold implications for species conservation efforts and advancements in elucidating the intricate dynamics of plant-microbiome interactions within their native ecosystems.