Endophytic Bacteria from Terminalia arjuna: Their Plant Growth-Promoting and Enzymatic Attributes

Abstract

Endophytic bacteria contribute significantly to plant health, growth, and stress tolerance, making them promising candidates for sustainable agricultural applications. This study aimed to isolate, characterize, and evaluate endophytic bacteria from the medicinal plant Terminalia arjuna for their plant growth-promoting (PGP) and biocontrol properties. Surface-sterilized tissues were cultured on Nutrient Agar to obtain pure isolates, which were then characterized based on colony morphology, motility, Gram staining, and a range of biochemical assays. The isolates were screened for key PGP traits, including indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and gibberellic acid (GA) production, phosphate solubilization, siderophore and ammonia production, and hydrogen cyanide (HCN) activity. Enzymatic profiling revealed the production of industrially relevant enzymes such as amylase, protease, lipase, and cellulase.