Harnessing Endophytic Bacteria from Finger Millet Landraces for Biocontrol of Foot Rot Disease.

Finger millet (Eleusine coracana (L) Gaertn. subsp. coracana), a staple crop in arid and semi-arid regions of Africa and Asia, is praised for its drought resistance and high nutritional value. However, it faces significant yield losses due to foot rot caused by the soil-borne pathogen Sclerotium rolfsii. Chemical fungicides, while commonly used, pose environmental risks and contribute to fungal resistance. In search of solution, the best alternative for the chemical management is biological management. Thus, this study investigates the potential of bacterial endophytes isolated from finger millet landraces for biological control of foot rot. Totally sixty-nine endophytic bacteria were isolated from seeds, roots and leaves of finger millet landraces, by following surface sterilization and spread plating method for seeds, tissue imprinting for leaves and roots. These endophytes were screened for their antagonistic activity against S. rolfsii using a dual culture assay. Among sixty nine isolates, eight endophytic bacteria (AES, BMEL1, GDEL1, GES, HKES, KEL1, KER1 and KER2) exhibited maximum antagonistic activity with inhibition rates ranging from 44.39 per cent to 85.57 per cent were selected. Further these isolates were characterized morphologically (Gram staining) and biochemically (catalase activity, siderophore and hydrogen cyanide production). All the isolates were able to exhibit catalase activity, isolate AES able to produce highest siderophore and BMEL1, KEL1, KER1 and KER2 showed positive for hydrogen cyanide production. Thus, the result ensured the use of endophytes from landraces for sustainable management of foot rot in finger millet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]