Morphological and molecular characterization of Vicia faba and Phaseolus vulgaris seed-born fungal endophytes

Background: Fungal endophytes are heterotrophic microorganisms that occur inside plant tissues, with some showing adverse effects against insects, nematodes and plant pathogens. Initiatives are underway at the International Center of Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE) to use these endophytes as a novel strategy for control of Liriomyza leafminer. Objective: The objective of this study was therefore to search for fungal endophytes from the Liriomyza major host plants that could be used in the management of this invasive insect pest. Materials and Methods: Bioprospecting was undertaken to isolate fungal endophytes from Phaseolus vulgaris and Vicia faba seeds collected from different local and super markets in Kenya. Fungal endophytes were isolated through seeds surface sterilization and characterized using morphological and molecular techniques. Fungal occurrence was analyzed using analysis of variance while Chi-square tests were performed to compare the various endophytes species occurring in the two host seeds. Results: Five fungal isolates were isolated from both P. vulgaris and V. faba seeds with no significant differences in their occurrence. However, there was significant difference between the endophyte species occurring in V. faba compared to P. vulgaris seeds (p