Endophytes Crop Productivity and Protection Volume 2 (Sustainable Development and Biodiversity)

N

O

O

OH

H OH

O OH

(17)

O

CH 3

CH 3

O OH

CH 3

H O

H

H CH

3

CH 3

CH 3 H

(18)*S

(19)*R

*

O

H 3 C

OH

HO

OH

H

(20)

O

HO

OH

OH O

H 3 C

(21)

N

N

N

N

O

H

OH

O

O

H

(22)

Shipunov et al. ( 2008 ) have mentioned that in the host’s invaded range, endo-

phytes increase the competitiveness of the host by producing metabolites inhibitory

to evolutionarily native plants. An endophytic fungusFusariumsp. of the invasive

cactusOpuntia dilleniicontained antimicrobial secondary metabolite equisetin(23)

(Ratnaweera et al.2015a). The production of such biologically active substances

may enhance the competitive ability of the host against microorganisms and per-

haps increase its adaptability to withstand the biotic and harsh abiotic stress factors

that assist in the successful establishment ofO. dilleniito the detriment of native

plants in the area.

Various workers have reported grasses and sedges are reservoirs for a number of

endophytic fungi and result in enhancement of the ecologicalfitness and tolerance

to biotic and abiotic environmental stresses (Gunatilaka 2006 ; Mukhtar et al. 2010 ).

In grasses and herbaceous plants, the endophytes are known to produce toxic

alkaloids that prevent or poison invertebrate and vertebrate herbivores (Rodriguez

et al. 2009 ). A Korean study has shown endophytic fungal isolates of the roots of

Monochoria vaginalis, a weed of rice paddy significantly promote the growth of the

plant mainly due to higher secretions of Gibberellins (Ahmad et al. 2010 ). Among

the bioactive secondary metabolites, solanioic acid(24)isolated fromRhizoctonia

solanifromCyperus rotundus showed antibacterial activity (Ratnaweera et al.

200 P.B. Ratnaweera and E.D. de Silva

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