Diversity, molecular identification and plant growth promoting potential of endophytic bacteria from plantain (Plantago lanceolata L.)
Аннотация
Plantago lanceolata L. is a perennial medicinal plant widely recognized for its pharmacological importance and ecological adaptability. In addition to its therapeutic value, this species hosts diverse communities of endophytic bacteria that may significantly influence plant growth, metabolic activity, and tolerance to environmental stresses. The present study aimed to isolate, identify, and functionally characterize cultivable endophytic bacteria associated with the leaves and roots of healthy Plantago lanceolata L. plants collected from Surkhandarya State Forestry, Termez district, Surkhandarya region, Uzbekistan. Surface-sterilized plant tissues were aseptically processed, and bacterial endophytes were isolated on nutrient agar (NA). Molecular identification of the isolates was performed using 16S rRNA gene sequencing followed by sequence comparison through NCBI BLAST analysis. Six representative bacterial strains (IGPEB1–IGPEB6) were identified and their nucleotide sequences were deposited in GenBank under the accession numbers PV848383 ( Pseudomonas sp. strain IGPEB1), PV848384 ( Brevibacillus sp. strain IGPEB2), PV848385 ( Brevibacillus sp. strain IGPEB3), PV848386 ( Bacillus sp. strain IGPEB4), PV848387 ( Bacillus sp. strain IGPEB5), and PV848388 ( Bacillus sp. strain IGPEB6). Functional characterization revealed that the isolates possessed multiple plant growth-promoting (PGP) traits, including indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) production, phosphate solubilization, ammonia production, and extracellular enzymatic activities. These findings demonstrate the taxonomic and functional diversity of endophytic bacteria associated with P. lanceolata L. and highlight their potential application as biofertilizers and biocontrol agents to support sustainable agricultural productivity. To the best of our knowledge, this study represents the first report describing endophytic bacterial communities associated with P. lanceolata L. in the Surkhandarya State Forestry region of Uzbekistan, providing a valuable foundation for future ecological and biotechnological investigations.