Р”Вevi R, Thakur R (2018) Screening and identification of bacteria for plant growth promoting traits from termite mound soil. MPMI 30:739РІР‚вЂњ753Р”Вas G, Park S, Choi J, Baek KH (2018) Anticandidal potential of endophytic bacteria isolated from Dryopteris uniformis (Makino). Biosci Biotechnol Biochem 80:2277РІР‚вЂњ2283Р”В¬hen Y, Li F, Tian L, Huang M, Deng R, Li X, Chen W, Wu P, Li M, Jiang H (2017) The phenylalanine ammonia lyase gene LJPAL1 is involved in plant defense responses to pathogens and plays diverse roles in Lotus japonicus-rhizobium symbioses. MicrobBiotechnol 8:281РІР‚вЂњ295Р”В¬handrasekaran M, Chun SC (2016) Expression of PR-protein genes and induction of defense-related enzymes by Bacillus subtilis CBR05 in tomato ( Solanum lycopersicum) plants challenged with Erwinia carotovora subsp. Р”В¬awoy H, Debois D, Franzil L, De Pauw E, Thonart P, Ongena M (2015) Lipopeptides as main ingredients for inhibition of fungal phytopathogens by Bacillus subtilis/ amyloliquefaciens. Р”В¬ao Y, Pi H, Chandrangsu P, Li Y, Wang Y, Zhou H, Xiong H, Helmann JD, Cai Y (2018) Antagonism of two plant-growth promoting Bacillus velezensis isolates against Ralstonia solanacearum and Fusarium oxysporum. Sci Rep 10:1РІР‚вЂњ19Р”В«rigido C, Singh S, Menendez E, Tavares MJ, Glick BR, Felix MdR, Oliveira S, Carvalho M (2019) Diversity and functionality of culturable endophytic bacterial communities in chickpea plants. Р”В«hattacharyya C, Banerjee S, Acharya U, Mitra A, Mallick I, Haldar A et al (2020) Evaluation of plant growth promotion properties and induction of antioxidative defense mechanism by tea rhizobacteria of Darjeeling, India. Genet Mol Biol 35:1044РІР‚вЂњ1051Р”В«erwal MK, Ram C (2018) Superoxide dismutase: a stable biochemical marker for abiotic stress tolerance in higher plants. Braz J Microbiol 47:542РІР‚вЂњ550Р”В«eneduzi A, Ambrosini A, Passaglia LM (2012) Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR): their potential as antagonists and biocontrol agents. Р”Р„yyaz K, Zaheer A, Rasul G, Mirza MS (2016) Isolation and identification by 16S rRNA sequence analysis of plant growth-promoting Azospirilla from the rhizosphere of wheat. Р”Р„li M, Ren H, Ahmed T, Luo J, An Q, Qi X, Li B (2020) Antifungal effects of rhizospheric Bacillus species against bayberry twig blight pathogen Pestalotiopsis versicolor. Microb Biotechnol 7:196РІР‚вЂњ208Р”Р„li S, Mir ZA, Tyagi A, Mehari H, Meena RP, Bhat JA, Yadav P, Papalou P, Rawat S, Grover A (2017) Overexpression of NPR1 in Brassica juncea confers broad spectrum resistance to fungal pathogens. Microbiol Res 163:173РІР‚вЂњ181Р”Р„hmed E, Holmstrom SJ (2014) Siderophores in environmental research: roles and applications. Thus, current study provided a scientific justification that bacterial strains in specific LV19 ( Priestia koreensis) could be further developed as biocontrol agent with potential of plant growth promotion.Р”Р„hmad F, Ahmad I, Khan M (2008) Screening of free-living rhizospheric bacteria for their multiple plant growth promoting activities. Based on most efficient growth promotion by LV19 strain, expression of five plant defense related genes (SOD, PAL, NPR1, PR5, Chitinase) was evaluated revealing enhanced expression by 1.7РІР‚вЂњ270-folds in consortium of LV19 and Fusarium. Diverse growth parameters (seed germination percentage, lengths and fresh weights of root and shoot) were significantly increased from 34 to 909% over pathogen infected plants only which was further proved by their root colonization analysis. In growth promotion experiments, combination of LV19 with Fusarium significantly suppressed chances of Fusarium wilt which is commonly caused by Fusarium oxysporum in sunflower plants. All strains showed antifungal activity against Fusarium oxysporum on three different media (PDA, NA, LA) with maximum activity (53%) of LV19 strain on NA and least activity (13%) on PDA medium as recorded by zones of inhibition. and LV19 was best fit in subgroup Priestia koreensis.

However, there was division among these isolates on basis of subgroups as SV7 belonged to Exiguobacterium auranticum, SV10 belonged to Paenibacillus sp.

Phylogenetic analysis revealed 100% similarity of three strains with taxon Firmicute. In present study, three endophytic bacterial strains SV7, SV10 and LV19 showed extensive range of antifungal as well as plant growth promoting activities signifying potential to accomplish the requirement. Deleterious effects of artificially applied chemicals have highlighted the significance of biocontrol agents as suitable substitute for sustainable agriculture.

Microbes in biocontrol agents