biostudies-literatureShen KScience and Technology Innovation Fund of Southwest Forestry UniversityConstruction Program of Yunnan Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of In-forest ResourceNational Key Research and Development Program of ChinaYunnan Provincial Undergraduate Universities’ AssociationSpecial Basic Cooperative Research Programs of Yunnan Provincial Undergraduate Universities' AssociationYunnan Zhengwenjie Expert Workstation195https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC10970964biostudies-literatureUnknown10(3)<i>Polygala crotalarioides</i>, a perennial herbaceous plant found in southwest China, has the potential to be used in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. Endophytic fungi that reside within medicinal herbs play an important ecological role in their host plants and can serve as a valuable source for identifying active components. However, little is known about the diversity, and structure of endophytic fungi in <i>P. crotalarioides</i>. In this study, we investigated the community structure and diversity of endophytic fungi in the leaves, stems, and roots of <i>P. crotalarioides</i> at both 1- and 2-year-growth stages using a modern culture-independent method using both culture-independent (high-throughput sequencing, HTS) and culture-based methods. Using HTS, our results revealed that tJournal of fungi (Basel, Switzerland)Community Structure and Diversity of Endophytic Fungi in Cultivated <i>Polygala crotalarioides</i> at Two Different Growth Stages Based on Culture-Independent and Culture-Based Methods.PMC109709642021YFD1000202202205AF150018KY21026202110BA070001-059Xiong YHua YLiu YShen KFan XLi CHu ZZhu RfalseCommunity Structure and Diversity of Endophytic Fungi in Cultivated <i>Polygala crotalarioides</i> at Two Different Growth Stages Based on Culture-Independent and Culture-Based Methods.<i>Polygala crotalarioides</i>, a perennial herbaceous plant found in southwest China, has the potential to be used in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. Endophytic fungi that reside within medicinal herbs play an important ecological role in their host plants and can serve as a valuable source for identifying active components. However, little is known about the diversity, and structure of endophytic fungi in <i>P. crotalarioides</i>. In this study, we investigated the community structure and diversity of endophytic fungi in the leaves, stems, and roots of <i>P. crotalarioides</i> at both 1- and 2-year-growth stages using a modern culture-independent method using both culture-independent (high-throughput sequencing, HTS) and culture-based methods. Using HTS, our results revealed that t2024-01-01T00:00:00Z2024 Mar2026-07-09T10:46:25.99Z2024-11-12T00:08:01.675ZS-EPMC109709643853520410.3390/jof10030195