Indian Journal of Ecology

Endophytes are colonized with the internal tissues of their host plants and can form a range of different types of relationships including symbiotic, mutualistic and trophobiotic. Endophytic bacteria can promote plant growth, yield and can act as biocontrol agents. To explore biocontrol potential of various bacterial isolates an attempt was made to isolate endophytic bacteria and examined for hydrogen cyanide (HCN) production, siderophore production and cellulase activity. Thirty-two endophytic bacterial isolates (ARBE1-ARBE32) were retrieved from the roots of Withania somnifera grown at Medicinal andAromatic Plant Section, Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University , Hisar. Under in vitro conditions siderophore production was observed in isolates ARBE5, ARBE9, ARBE11, ARBE13, ARBE14, ARBE17, ARBE18, ARBE19, ARBE22, ARBE30, ARBE31 and ARBE32. Hydrogen cyanide production indicated by a change in color of alkaline picrate-soaked filter paper was observed in isolates ARBE5, ARBE9, ARBE11, ARBE13, ARBE14, ARBE16, ARBE18, ARBE19, ARBE23, ARBE27, ARBE28, ARBE29 and ARBE32. The isolates, ARBE13, ARBE20, ARBE26, ARBE29 and ARBE30 were positive for cellulase activity. The isolates possessing multi biocontrol traits can further be exploited for management of plant diseases in integrated manner.