Antibacterial activity of endophytes from Musa Paradisiaca

This study was aimed to isolate the endophytic bacteria and fungi from the fruit and root of Musa Paradisiaca, commonly called as Nendran banana cultivar in the southern Indian state of Kerala. Endophytes are microbes living in plant tissue without harming the plants rather existing as potential beneficial organisms. Musa paradisiaca is a less explored variety of banana cultivar which possess anti-disease potential apart from nutritional quality. The total number of twelve root and fruit associated endophytes were isolated. The fruit associated endophytes were seven with four bacterial isolates and three fungal isolates. The number of root-associated endophytes were five with three bacterial isolates and two fungal isolates. The morphological characterisation of both root and fruit endophytes were performed by Gram staining for bacteria and lacto-phenol cotton blue staining for fungi. The bacterial colony examination of the fruit associated culture revealed a specific pink strain with an inhibitory zone proving antibacterial activity which was further investigated through agar well diffusion test.  The strain exhibited potential antibacterial activity against five human clinical pathogens. A significant zone of inhibition was observed against Bacillus subtilis  (22 mm), Escherichia coli (21 mm), Klebsiella pneumonia  and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (18 mm) which confirmed the potential antibacterial property of the fruit endophytic strain.