Abstract:
Endophytic fungi are a diverse group of microorganisms that live asymptomatically in healthy tissues of host and they have
been reported from all kinds of plant tissues such as leaves, stems, roots, flowers, and fruits. In this study, fungal endophytes
associated with tea leaves (Camellia sinensis) were collected from Kandy, Kegalle, and Nuwara Eliya districts in Sri Lanka
and were isolated, characterized, and identified. A total of twenty endophytic fungal isolates belonging to five genera were
recovered and ITS-rDNA sequence data were used to identify them. All isolated endophytic fungal strains belong to the
phylum Ascomycota and the majority of these isolates were identified as Colletotrichum species. Phyllosticta capitalensis
was the most commonly found fungal endophyte in tea leaves and was recorded in all three districts where the samples
were collected. This is the very first investigation on fungal endophytes associated with C. sinensis in Sri Lanka based on
molecular sequence data. In addition, a comprehensive account of known endophytic fungi reported worldwide on Camellia
sinensis is provided.
