Endophytic Bacterial and Fungi Associated to Banana Leaves (Musa spp.) Cultivated Under Organic Management

Abstract

Banana as a domesticated plant has a long evolutionary history of cultivation and has become one of the most important fruit in a world widely market, devoted to its high nutritional characteristics. However, its biology and association with microbes are poorly understood. Then the objective of the present study was isolate the cultivable endophytic bacterial and fungal community associated to leaves of an organic banana plantation in the Brazilian Amazon state of Roraima. A total of 24 fungi and 27 bacteria isolates were selected. The taxonomical classification showed that the cultivable endophytic fungi community is affiliated to the following 11 genera: Aspergillus, Peniophora, Meyerozyma, Saccharicola, Hypocreales, Nigrospora, Byssochlamys, Periconia, Myrothecium, Acrocalymma and Peroneutypa. Regarding the bacterial isolates 13 genera were found: Serratia, Pantoea, Streptococcus, Neisseria, Bacillus, Arsenicicoccus, Sphingobacterium, Herbaspirillum, Lactococcus, Variovorax, Pseudorhodoferax, Stenotrophomonas and Brevibacterium. Comparing the endophytic microorganisms isolated in the present research with previous studies already published, some new genera and species were detected. This could be due to use of organic cultivated bananas without the utilization of fertilizers and other chemical products. This could provide the isolation of bacteria and fungi which are benefic to their hosts but not yet previous found in banana.