Isolation and characterization of endophytic bacteria from wild and cultivated soybean varieties

Endophytic bacteria were isolated from surface sterilized stems, root, and nodules of wild and cultivated soybean varieties. Various phenotypic traits that are expected to be involved in the persistence and functions of the bacteria were analyzed. Most of the isolates from soybean were motile and indoleacetic acid producers, and 70 and 33% of isolates excreted cellulase and pectinase, respectively. These traits may be involved in endophytic characteristics in soybean. Some isolates were resistant to Str(100), formed capsules, and produced fluorescent pigments. Molecular characterization of selected 35 endophytic bacteria by 16S rDNA-polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism showed two main clusters at 48 and 43% similarity coefficients in which most of the endophytes belonged. The genetic variation was more among endophytes isolated from Glycine max tissues than from G. soja.