Identification and characterization of new Muscodor endophytes from gramineous plants in Xishuangbanna, China

The endophytic fungi Muscodor spp. produce volatile organic compounds (VOCs) which can inhibit and even kill pathogenic fungi, bacteria, and nematodes. Nine endophytic fungal strains, isolated from the shoots of gramineous plants including Arthraxon hispidus, Eleusine indica, Oplismenus undulatifolius, and Oryza granulata, were identified as Muscodor through phylogenetic analysis of the internal transcribed spacer. Through an SPSS K‐means cluster analysis, the nine Muscodor strains were divided into four groups based on the antifungal activities of the VOCs produced by these fungi determined by a two‐section confrontation test. The first group contains the strains Y‐L‐54, W‐S‐41, Y‐S‐35, W‐T‐27, and Y‐L‐56, which showed the strongest activity. The second and third groups contain W‐S‐35 and Y‐L‐43, which showed stronger and moderate activity, respectively. The fourth group contains W‐S‐38 and N‐L‐7, which were the weakest in inhibiting the tested pathogens. Thirty‐five compounds and the relative amounts of VOCs were determined by SPME‐GC‐MS and comparison with the NIST14 mass spectrometry database and Agilent MassHunter qualitative and quantitative analyses. These 35 compounds were classified into two different categories: (a) the product of fatty acid degradation, and (b) the intermediate and final metabolite of the metabolic pathway with the precursor of mevalonic acid. SPSS clustering analysis showed that the chemical components of VOCs might be correlated with their bioactivity rather than their phylogenetic assignment and some of the identified compounds might be responsible for antifungal activity. In conclusion, new Muscodor endophytes were recorded in tropical gramineous plants and a number of strains showed remarkable bioactive properties. Therefore, they have important potential applications in the fields of plant disease control.