Isolation and identification of exopolysaccharide-producing endophytic fungi from leaf midribs of oil palm

Exopolysaccharide are produced by several types of fungi as well as endophytes. This is the first report about fungal endophytes from oil palm as a exopolysaccharide producer. The aim of this study was to isolated and identified the exopolysaccharide-producing endophytic fungi from leaf midrib of oil palm. Leaf midrib was collected from oil palm in Kuala Bekala Plantation in Medan, Indonesia. Endophytic fungal isolates were characterized morphologically and then identified molecularly by amplification of ITS region of ribosomal RNA. Endophytic fungi of exopolysaccharides-producing were selected by cultivated on mineral medium with sucrose as carbon and NaNO 3 as nitrogen sources. Exopolysaccharides were collected, purified and characterized the FTIR spectrum. The isolation results obtained 14 isolates of fungal endophytes; eleven isolates were characterized as Ascomycetes, and 3 isolates as Basidiomycetes. Based on molecular identification were founded eight of Genera; two Genera in Basidiomycetes. (Schizophyllum and Psathyrella) and 6 Genera in Ascomycetes (Pestalotiopsis, Phyllosticta, Curvularia, Nectria, Diaporthe and Nigrospora). The dominant species of Ascomycetes group were genus Pestalotiopsis. Almost all of fungal endophytes were as exopolysaccharides producer strains. The major functional groups of the exopolysaccharides produced by 11 species of endophytic fungi of oil palm were -OH, -CH, -C = C, and C-O-C groups.