Journal of Agriculture & Life Sciences

Metabolite Profiling of the Extracts of Endophytic Fungi of Entomopathogenic Significance, Aspergillus flavus and Nigrospora sphaerica Isolated from Tropical Tree Species of India, Tectona grandis L.
N. Senthilkumar, S. Murugesan, D. Suresh Babu

Abstract
India needs newer group of biopesticides. Biopesticides are part of the insecticide field, their market is increasing. Biopesticides are secondary metabolites include thousands of alkaloids, terpenoids, phenolics and minor secondary chemicals derived from plants, microbes, animals, and certain minerals. Several endophytic microbes are known to have anti-insect properties. Endophytes are microbes which colonize living, internal tissues of plants without causing any harm to their host. These endophytes protect their hosts from infectious agents and adverse conditions by secreting bioactive secondary metabolites. Endophytic fungi, A. flavus and N. sphaerica isolated from teak leaves produced phytochemicals such as Duroquinone, Adamantine derivative, Dodecanoic acid, tetradecanoic acid, pentadecanoic acid and Myristic acid which are reported to have insecticidal activity. Hence, the extracts of A. flavus and N. sphaerica may be considered to use as novel insecticides.

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