Study of Biocontrol activity of Endophytic Bacteria isolated from Quassia indica against plant pathogens
Aiswarya S Nair and Nisha PAravind*
Post Graduate and Research Department of Zoology, CMS College Kottayam - 686001 (India) *Email: nishaparavind@cmscollege.ac.in
ABSTRACT
Bacterial endophytes are known to reside inside tissues of plants and can form a range of relationships including symbiotic, mutualistic, commensalistic and trophobiotic. There has been increasing evidence, that endophytic bacteria can influence plant growth significantly by the production of phytohormones analogous to plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) activity. The organism that suppresses, inhibit the growth and spreading of pathogens is referred to as the biological control agent (BCA). Fungal isolates in plants possess a major problem in causing reduction in the yield toconsiderable level. Fusarium, Sclerotium and Cercospora species were isolated from naturally infected plant leaves. An attempt was made to minimize the damage caused by pathogen using this biocontrol agents. Endophytic bacteria like Pseudomonas fluorescens, Bacillus subtilis, Lactobacillus plantarum, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Planococcus citreus, Enterobacter aerogenes, Alcaligenes faecalis and Micrococcus luteus were isolated from the plant Quassia indica.. This study is based on the inhibitory effect of bacteria against fungal pathogens, explained using antagonism test. Hence the findings clearly define beneficial effects and bio control activity of bacterial endophytes in tropical plants on pathogen.