Identification and determination of characteristics of endophytes from rice plants and their role in biocontrol of bacterial blight caused by Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae

Endophytic bacteria of rice plants (Oryza sativa L.) from eight different cultivars were screened for their ability in inducing disease symptoms, plant growth promotion and antagonistic activity against Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae. Out of the 63 whole isolates, five were plant pathogens. Based on phenotypic characteristics and 16S rDNA sequence analysis, these were identified as Pseudomonas oryzihabitans, P. fulva, Pantoea ananatis, Pantoea sp., Cellulomonas sp. Four out of the 63 isolates behaved as potentially good plant growth-promoting and biocontrol agents. These were identified as Bacillus sp., B. subtilis, Pseudomonas putida and Enterobacter sp. This is the first report of pathogenic and endophytic bacteria from rice grown in field conditions in North of Iran.