Exploring agricultural soils of the Saurashtra region for entomopathogenic bacteria and fungi: Isolation, characterization and phylogenetic analysis

Abstract

The purpose of this research is isolation of entomopathogenic fungi and bacteria that are natural to the soil. Microorganisms' morphological and biochemical characteristics. qualitative examination of possible isolates to determine whether they produce any enzymes. Using the 16S and 18S RNA techniques, powerful isolated bacteria were identified molecularly. Testing and analysis of possible isolated bacteria and fungus in vitro against pests, bacteria, and fungi. Study was conducted at Department of Biotechnology, Junagadh Agricultural University, Junagadh, Gujarat, India during 2018-19. Iidentify and characterize the isolates using cultural and biochemical tools, and study their qualitative and quantitative production of biotechnologically important enzymes, plant growth promoting characteristics, to confirm entomopathogenic isolates and PCR based molecular identification to confirm the species of isolates. Seventy two bacterial and thirty five fungal colonies were isolated from thirty five soil samples collected from agricultural soils of different research station. Based on pesticidal activity, different enzyme activity and plant growth promoting characteristics, fifteen isolates give positive results. ive out of twelve bacterial isolates belongs to genus Bacillus while four isolates belongs to genus Pseudomonas and remaining three isolate belongs to genus Enterobacter and one out of three fungal isolates belongs to genus Verticillium while another one isolates belongs to genus Metarhizium and remaining one isolate belongs to genus Beauveria. The fifteen selected entomopathogenic bacterial and fungal isolates studied were identified by phylogenetic analysis of sequences obtained from partial 16S and 18S rRNA gene sequencing.