Abstract

• The fourteen endophytic fungi were isolated from the healthy plant parts such as leaves, bark, wood and fruit of Aquilaria malaccensis Lam. The fourteen isolated fungal strains were tested for enzymatic activities such as cellulase, laccase, lipase, protease and pectinase. Aspergillus sp. (CM 2 and CM 11) showed cellulase, lipase and pectinase activities. Curvularia sp. (CM 6) showed laccase. Aspergillus sp. (CM 2 and CM 11) and Curvularia sp. (CM 6) were selected as the potential endophytic fungi for inducing the agarwood formation. The three strains of endophytic fungi such as Aspergillus sp. (CM 2), Curvularia sp. (CM 6) and Aspergillus sp. (CM 11) were used as inoculation materials. The fungal inoculation was done in the stem of Aquilaria malaccensis Lam. using the syringe method. The induced agarwood was harvested after 3 months of inoculation. The inoculation of Aspergillus sp. (CM 11) showed better results in average agarwood yield (3.5 %) per tree. The average agarwood yield per tree treated with Aspergillus sp. (CM 2), Curvularia sp. (CM 6) and Potato dextrose broth (Control) was showed 1.9 %, 0.7 % and 0.2 % respectively. The 2.53 % of agarospirol production was induced successfully using the fungi Aspergillus sp. (CM 11) within 3 months only, after inducing the infection. Therefore, Aspergillus sp. (CM 11) is an efficient and promising fungal strain for artificial agarwood production during commercial-scale cultivation of Aquilaria malaccensis Lam. which can lead to the ecology and ecological stabilities for communities in near future.