Morpho-cultural and biochemical identification of Endophytic bacteria isolated from Berberis aristata

Abstract

Berberis aristata, a traditional important medicinal plant that are found in Himalayan region of Jammu and Kashmir. Berberis aristata, an important medicinal plant rich in bioactive compounds, harbours diverse endophytic bacteria that contribute to its therapeutic potential. To explore this microbial diversity, endophytic bacteria were isolated from healthy tissues of B. aristata using surface-sterilization followed by enrichment and plating on nutrient agar. Among the recovered isolates, two strains designated MBI-2 and DFI-3 were selected based on their distinct growth characteristics. Pure cultures were obtained through repeated streaking, and both isolates were subjected to detailed morphological, and biochemical identification to determine their taxonomic and physiological profiles. These analyses confirmed that MBI2 and DFI3 are two clearly distinguishable endophytic bacterial strains associated with B. aristata. The combined morphological, and biochemical characterization confirms that MBI2 and DFI3 represent two metabolically distinct endophytic bacteria associated with Berberis aristata, supporting their potential relevance in future antimicrobial and antioxidant studies.