2017/12/01 by Mir Abid Hussain, Vidushi Mahajan, Hussain, Mir Abid +15 · 1 citation
Agricultural and Biological Sciences · Medicine · #<i>Acremonium persicum</i> #<i>Cochliobolus lunatus</i> #<i>Colletotrichum gloeosporioides</i> #<i>Curvularia pallescens</i> #Entomopathogenic Microorganisms in Pest Control #Fungal Biology and Applications #Plant and fungal interactions #elicitor
paper · doi:10.71596/tpr.2024.3121448
openalex publication_date 2017/12/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
Artemisinin, a sesquiterpene lactone, is a well-known antimalarial drug isolated from Artemisia annua L. (Asteraceae). Semi-synthetic derivatives of artemisinin like arteether, artemether, artesunate, etc. have also been explored for antimalarial as well as other pharmacological activities. Endophytes are microorganisms which reside inside the living tissues of host plants and can form symbiotic, parasitic or commensalistic relationship depending on the climatic conditions and host genotype. In this study, endophytic fungi were isolated from the leaves of A. annua and were identified using the conventional as well as molecular taxonomic methods. Endophytes were identified as: Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, Cochliobolus lunatus, Curvularia pallescens and Acremonium persicum. Growth promoting activity of endophytes has been reported earlier. After treating potted plants of A. annua with elicitor extracts prepared from these endophytic fungi, we observed an increase in the plant biomass as well as artemisinin content.