Endophytic fungi colonize living plant tissues by penetration of fungal hyphae
between plants cells or may also grow intracellular and must obtain nutrient materials
through this intimate contact with the host. (Isaac, 1992). Endophytic fungi are
asymptomatic and may be described as mutualistic (Clay, 1999). The major features of
mutualistic symbiosis include the lack of destruction of most cells or tissues, nutrient or
chemical cycling between the fungus and host, enhanced longevity and photosynthetic
capacity of cells and tissues under the influence of Infection, enhanced survival of the
fungus, and a tendency toward greater host specificity than seen in nectrophic infection
(Lewis,1973). A comparison of the fitness of the host and fungus when living
independently in contrast to their fitness when living in association is the major mean
determining whether a specific symbiotic association is mutualistic or parasitic
(Lewis,1974).