Characterization of the Endophytic Mycobiome in Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) from a Single Location Using Illumina Sequencing

Cowpea is an important crop for small-scale farmers in poor areas but also being developed commercial agriculture as a possible substitute legumes. Endophytic fungi are omnipresent and play crucial diverse roles plants. This study characterized the endophyte component of cowpea mycobiome from leaves, main crown stems roots using Illumina MiSeq ITS2 region ribosomal operon. Ascomycetes exhibited highest diversity, with Molecular Operational Taxonomic Units (MOTUs) assigned Macrophomina, Cladosporium, Phoma, Fusarium Cryptococcus, among most dominant genera. Certain MOTUS showed preferential colonization patterns above or below ground tissues. Several MOTU generic groups known to include phytopathogenic species were found, relative abundances ranging high very low. Phylogenetic analyses reads some MOTUs that level identification could be obtained level. It confirmed absences other species, including phytopathogens. first adopted holistic metagenomic typing approach fungal endophytes single location, so integral low-income households world.