An endophytic fungus, Gibberella moniliformis from Lawsonia inermis L. produces lawsone, an orange-red pigment.

Lawsone (2-hydroxy-1, 4-napthoquinone), also known as hennotannic acid, is an orange red dye used as a popular skin and hair colorant. The dye is produced in the leaves of Lawsonia inermis L, often referred to as the "henna" tree. In this study, we report the production of lawsone by an endophytic fungus, Gibberella moniliformis isolated from the leaf tissues of Lawsonia inermis. The fungus produced the orange-red dye in potato dextrose agar and broth, independent of the host tissue. Presence of lawsone was confirmed spectrometrically using HPLC and ESI-MS/MS analysis. The fragmentation pattern of lawsone was identical to both standard lawsone and that extracted from plant tissue. This is a first report of lawsone being produced by an endophytic fungus, independent of the host tissue. The study opens up interesting questions on the possible biosynthetic pathway through which lawsone is produced by the fungus.

Fungal assemblages in the rhizosphere and rhizoplane of grasses of the subfamily Panicoideae in the Lakkavalli region of Karnataka, India.

Fungal communities associated with roots play an important role in nutrient cycling, supporting plant growth and the biocontrol of plant diseases. Experiments were conducted in 2004-2006 to isolate and characterize, based on their morphological features, rhizosphere and rhizoplane fungi from perennial grasses of the subfamily Panicoideae growing in forests of the Western Ghats in India. Fungal species were isolated on potato dextrose, czapeck dox and water agar, in different locations and seasons. The results obtained on PDA were used for detailed analysis since most fungi occurred in high percentages. While certain grasses harbored diverse fungal species, others supported only a few species. Most fungi were isolated during winter followed by the rainy and summer seasons. The species richness, diversity and evenness of fungal assemblages in the rhizosphere and rhizoplane depended on the grass species and season. Ascomycetes were isolated in large numbers in most grass species. Species of Aspergillus, Chaetomium, Penicillium and Trichoderma occurred frequently. Certain others and non-sporulating fungi were grass species-specific. Most fungal species colonized the middle of the root more than the root tip or root base. Results suggest that perennial grasses harbor diverse fungal communities whose potential could be tapped for producing secondary metabolites and managing plant diseases.