Endophytic bacterial diversity in banana 'Prata Anã' (Musa spp.) roots

The genetic diversity of endophytic bacteria in banana 'Prata Anã' roots was characterized. Two hundred and one endophytic bacteria were isolated, 151 of which were classified as Gram-positive and 50 as Gram-negative. No hypersensitivity response was observed in any of the isolates. The rep-PCR technique generated different molecular profiles for each primer set (REP, ERIC and BOX). Fifty readable loci were obtained and all of the fragments were polymorphic. Amplified ribosomal DNA restriction analysis (ARDRA) of the isolates based on cleavage with four restriction enzymes yielded 45 polymorphic bands and no monomorphic bands. PCR amplified the nifH gene in 24 isolates. 16S rDNA sequencing of the 201 bacterial isolates yielded 102 high-quality sequences. Sequence analyses revealed that the isolates were distributed among ten bacterial genera (Agrobacterium, Aneurinibacillus, Bacillus, Enterobacter, Klebsiella, Lysinibacillus, Micrococcus, Paenibacillus, Rhizobium and Sporolactobacillus) and included 15 species. The greatest number of isolates belonged to the genus Bacillus. The bacteria identified in this study may be involved in promoting growth, phosphate solubilization, biological control and nitrogen fixation in bananas

Phosphate solubilization by endophytic bacteria isolated from banana trees

<div><p>ABSTRACT Forty isolates of endophytic bacteria isolated from banana tree roots were assessed as to their capacity to solubilize phosphate in a solid culture medium supplemented with different inorganic and one organic source of phosphorus. The amount of phosphorus (P) in each liquid medium was quantified, and an indirect assessment of acid phosphatase activity was performed. All assays had a fully randomized design, with three repetitions. Approximately 67.5% of the 40 isolates assessed in solid medium solubilized phosphorus from tricalcium phosphate and 7.5% of the isolates solubilized phosphorus from soy lecithin; no isolates exhibited P solubilization capacity in medium supplemented with iron phosphate. Acid phosphatase activity was detected in 65% of the isolates; Aneurinibacillus sp. and Lysinibacillus sp. isolates presented with the best solubilization indexes. All of the assessed isolates exhibited a capacity to reduce the potential of hydrogen in liquid medium supplemented with tricalcium phosphate. Isolate EB. 78 (Bacillus sp.) exhibited P solubilization capacity in solid media when Ca3(PO4)2 and soy lecithin were used as P sources; this isolate significantly reduced the pH of the liquid medium and exhibited acid phosphatase activity. The results of the present study highlight isolates that exhibit variations in their capacity to solubilize P. These isolates should be used in future tests to assess their field performance.</p></div

Resitência de Eucalyptus globulus e Eucalyptus nitens à ferrugem (Puccinia psidii) Resistance of Eucalyptus globulus and E. nitens to rust

Avaliou-se a resistência das espécies de Eucalyptus globulus e Eucalyptus nitens inoculadas com um isolado uredinospórico monopustular de Puccinia psidii origininário de plantio de Eucalypstus grandis (UFV-2) em Itapetininga, SP. A avaliação foi realizada aos 12 dias após a inoculação, e quantificou-se a doença por meio de uma escala de notas com quatro classes de severidade da doença (S0, S1, S2 e S3). Em média, aproximadamente 60% das plantas de E. globulus e 50% de E. nitens foram resistentes a P. psidii. A variabilidade intra-específica nos materiais estudados indica ser possível a clonagem de genótipos resistentes para plantio comercial ou para uso em programas de melhoramento genético.<br>Eucalyptus globulus and Eucalyptus nitens were evaluated for resistance to rust caused by Puccinia psidii. Seedlings were inoculated with a single urediniosporic pustule isolate of P. psidii (UFV-2) obtained from E. grandis from Itapetininga, SP. Disease assessment was carried out 12 days after inoculation based on a rust rating scale with four class of severity (S0, S1, S2 and S3). Percentages of resistant plants were 60% and 50% for E. globulus and E. nitens, respectively. The high intra-specific variability found in this study allows using the clonal propagation of resistant genotypes in commercial plantations or in breeding programs