Isolation and Identification of Shoot-Tip Associated Endophytic Bacteria from Banana cv. Grand Naine and Testing for Antagonistic Activity against FocR4T (2015)

Bacteria that colonise the tips of the edges of banana cv. Grand Naine were isolated and tested for their antagonistic effectiveness against Foc R4T, which causes Panama disease, by subjecting it to extensive disinfection treatment by homogenising the excised portion of the tip on nutrient agar and trypticase agar, and about 47 isolates were obtained; actinobacteria are the predominant phylum. The endophyte Pseudomonas aeruginosa (isolate GNS.13.2a), which was associated with a single sucker, showed a significant inhibitory effect on Foc growth, while Klebsiella variicola (GNS.13.3a) and Enterobacter cloacae (GNS13.4a) showed moderate inhibition. The study reveals considerable variation among suckers in the associated culturable endophytic bacteria on 'Grand Naine' banana.