Characterization of a Plant Growth Promoting Non-Nodulating Endophytic Bacteria (Stenotrophomonas maltophilia) from the root nodules of Mucuna utilis var capitata L. (Safed Kaunch).

Non-rhizobial root nodule endophytic bacteria are known to have beneficial effects on host plants and are also considered as contaminants or as opportunists. They grow either individually or as a co-occupant of the root nodules of the legume plants. The isolation of the bacteria was carried out from the root nodules of medicinal legume M. utilis var. capitata L. and pheno-genotypic-agricultural characterization was performed using Himedia kit and 16S rRNA se-quencing, pot and field trials. This strain showed tremendous potential of seedling growth (30%) over the control as well as a strong antagonistic nature against plant pathogenic fungus (Fusarium udum) when plant growth parameters were being analyzed. The strain identified by 16S rRNA as Stenotrophomonas maltophilia showed a multitude of plant growth promoting attributes both direct (IAA, phosphate solubilization) and indirect (ACC deaminase, siderophore) and enhanced the growth of host plant in field trials. This particular bacterium is a first report from the nodules of Mucuna utilis var. capitata L., is a plant growth promoting endophyte and hence, can be used in various biotechnological applications in various industries.