Endophytic Bacteria Isolated from Tea Leaves ( Camellia sinensis var. assamica ) Enhanced Plant-Growth-Promoting Activity

Md. Humayun Kabir, Kridsada Unban, Pratthana Kodchasee, Rasiravathanahalli Kaveriyappan Govindarajan, Saisamorn Lumyong, Nakarin Suwannarach, Pairote Wongputtisin, Kalidas Shetty and Chartchai Khanongnuch ()
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Md. Humayun Kabir: School of Agro-Industry, Faculty of Agro-Industry, Chiang Mai University, Mueang, Chiang Mai 50100, Thailand
Kridsada Unban: School of Agro-Industry, Faculty of Agro-Industry, Chiang Mai University, Mueang, Chiang Mai 50100, Thailand
Pratthana Kodchasee: School of Agro-Industry, Faculty of Agro-Industry, Chiang Mai University, Mueang, Chiang Mai 50100, Thailand
Rasiravathanahalli Kaveriyappan Govindarajan: School of Agro-Industry, Faculty of Agro-Industry, Chiang Mai University, Mueang, Chiang Mai 50100, Thailand
Saisamorn Lumyong: Research Center of Microbial Diversity and Sustainable Utilization, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand
Nakarin Suwannarach: Research Center of Microbial Diversity and Sustainable Utilization, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand
Pairote Wongputtisin: Program in Biotechnology, Faculty of Science, Maejo University, Sansai, Chiang Mai 50290, Thailand
Kalidas Shetty: Global Institute of Food Security and International Agriculture (GIFSIA), Department of Plant Sciences, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND 58108, USA
Chartchai Khanongnuch: School of Agro-Industry, Faculty of Agro-Industry, Chiang Mai University, Mueang, Chiang Mai 50100, Thailand

Agriculture, 2023, vol. 13, issue 3, 1-18

Abstract: Tea ( Camellia sinensis var. assamica ) is a traditional and economically important non-alcoholic beverage-producing plant grown in large plantations in the northern region of Thailand and has a diverse community of endophytic bacteria. In this study, a total of 70 bacterial isolates were isolated from healthy asymptomatic samples of tea leaves from five different tea gardens in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Based on 16S rDNA sequence analysis, these bacterial isolates were taxonomically grouped into 11 different genera, namely Bacillus , Curtobacterium , Enterobacter Microbacterium , Moraxella , Neobacillus , Priestia , Pseudarthrobacter , Pseudomonas , Sporosarcina , and Staphylococcus . All these isolates were evaluated for their potential to produce indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), siderophores, and cellulolytic enzymes while having phosphate-solubilizing and tannin tolerance capacity. Most isolated bacterial endophytes belonged to the Bacillus genus and exhibited multiple plant-growth-promoting abilities. All bacterial endophytes could produce varied concentrations of the indole-related compounds, and the strain Curtobacterium citreum P-5.19 had the highest production of IAA at 367.59 µg/mL, followed by Pseudarthrobacter enclensis P-3.12 at 266.97 µg/mL. Seventy-eight percent (78%) of the total isolates solubilized inorganic phosphate, while 77%, 65%, and 52% were positive for extracellular proteases, cellulases, and pectinases, respectively. Remarkably, 80% of the isolates were capable of growth on nutrient agar supplemented with 1% ( w / v ) tannic acid. C. citreum P-5.19 and P. enclensis P-3.12 were selected for evaluation of plant growth promotion, and it was found that both bacterial endophytes enhanced seed germination rate and improved seedling growth parameters such as fresh and/or dry weight, root length, and shoot lengths of sunflower and tomato seeds. The selected bacterial endophytes isolated from tea leaves in this study could be used in bioformulation for plant growth promotion and advancing sustainable agricultural practices contributing to the decreased use of chemical inputs. This is the first report of an endophytic bacterium, Pseudarthrobacter enclensis , being isolated from C. sinensis .

Keywords: endophyte; Camellia sinensis; tannin-tolerant; seed germination; IAA (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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