Isolation and Purification of Grapevine Fungal and Bacterial Endophytes

Vitis vinifera L. is one of the most economically important fruit crops worldwide and contributes significantly to the horticultural economy of India. However, grape production is severely constrained by several fungal diseases, including anthracnose, powdery mildew, gray mold, and downy mildew, which are commonly managed through repeated chemical pesticide applications. Excessive use of agrochemicals has raised serious concerns regarding environmental pollution, pesticide resistance, human health hazards, and sustainability of viticulture practices. In the present study, culturable fungal and bacterial endophytes were isolated from healthy leaves and twigs of four grapevine varieties, namely Sahebi, Fantasy Seedless, Hussaini, and Thompson Seedless, collected from university orchards at Shalimar, Srinagar. Endophytes were isolated following standard surface sterilization techniques and cultured on selective media. A total of 55 morphologically distinct endophytic isolates comprising 25 fungal and 30 bacterial isolates were obtained. The isolates exhibited considerable variation in colony morphology, pigmentation, texture, and microscopic characteristics, indicating substantial endophytic diversity among grapevine tissues. Pathogenicity testing confirmed the non-pathogenic nature of the isolates. The study highlights the diversity of grapevine-associated endophytes and their potential role as promising biological control agents for sustainable viticulture. Further molecular characterization and field evaluation of these isolates may contribute to the development of eco-friendly disease management strategies and bioinoculants for grape cultivation in India.