Plant Growth Promotion in Solanum lycopersicum through Endophytic bacteria Isolated from Flower of Samanea saman

Aim: Plant Growth Promotion in Solanum lycopersicum through Endophytic bacteria isolated from Flower of Samanea saman and antifungal activity against Fusarium oxysporum. Materials and Methods: Endophytes were isolated from the Rain Tree Flower samples collected from Sadakathullah Appa College Campus, Rahmath nagar, Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu, India and assessed for their protective activity against Fusarium oxysporum, which causes wilt disease. The flower samples washed in tap water for removing dirt particles and it is soaked in 70% ethanol for 3 min; further washed with sodium hypochlorite solution (2.5% available Chlorine) for 5 min and cleaned well with sterile distilled water. Flower sample were crushed with a sterile mortar and pestle and then plated on nutrient agar media. The plates were incubated for 3 to 5 days at 28ºC for bacterial growth. bacterial strains was tested antagonism activity against Fusarium oxysporum using Potato dextrose agar. The actively growing fungal (F. oxysporum) here mycelial disc (5 mm) was inserted at one side and a loop of endophytic bacteria was streaked in a line of about 6 cm in length. One control plate was also kept for observation. Those plates were incubated at 28±2ºC for 7 days and after inhibition zone of inhibition was measured. Results and Discussion: In the present study, a total of 2 endophytes SRFB1 and SRFB2 were isolated from the Rain Tree Flower samples, among them, endophyte SRFB1 showed significant results on shoot and root length, fresh and dry weight, respectively, when compared with the control. One of the isolates considered as efficient endophytic isolate as it possessed plant growth promotion and SRFB1 showed positive results against Fusarium oxysporum. Conclusion: The present study shows that the endophytes isolated from the flower samples can be commercially formulated as effective bio control agent against soil-borne fungal pathogens which affects plants. In future those formulated endophytes can be served as a good replacement against chemical fertilizers which cause had effect to agriculture.