Isolation and Morphological Characterization of Fungal Phylloplane Microflora from Potato Leaves

Abstract

Fungal communities inhabiting leaf surfaces constitute an important component of the phyllosphere and may include saprophytic, pathogenic and potentially beneficial microorganisms. This study was conducted to isolate and morphologically characterise culturable fungi associated with the phylloplane of potato leaves collected from potato-growing areas in Nagaland, India, during 2024–25. Leaf samples were obtained from potato plants at the flowering stage, approximately 80–85 days after sowing. Fungi were isolated using the leaf-washing method by suspending randomly excised leaf discs in sterile distilled water and culturing the resulting suspension on potato dextrose agar. Individual colonies were purified through repeated subculturing and maintained on agar slants. Identification was undertaken at the genus level using colony colour, texture, margin, sporulation and microscopic characteristics, including hyphal structure, conidiophore morphology, conidial shape, pigmentation and septation. Eight fungal isolates representing eight genera were recovered. The isolates were provisionally identified as Colletotrichum, Cladosporium, Pestalotiopsis, Fusarium, Apiospora, Diaporthe, Penicillium and Trichoderma. All identified genera belonged to Ascomycota and represented the classes Sordariomycetes, Dothideomycetes and Eurotiomycetes. Sordariomycetes accounted for the largest number of recovered genera. The findings provide preliminary information on the culturable fungal component associated with potato leaf surfaces in the sampled areas. Molecular identification and quantitative ecological analyses are required to confirm the taxonomic assignments and determine the distribution and possible functional roles of these isolates.