Bacterial and fungal endophytes associated with grains and roots of maize

Abstract

The study was carried out to determine the microbes of maize grains sourced from five markets in Akungba and Ikare-Akoko, Ondo State, Nigeria. Bacterial and fungal microbes from roots of two maize cultivars DMR-LSR-Y and TZMSR-W were also investigated using the pour plate method. Results showed that grains from Oja Oba had the highest bacterial population of 4.8 × 105 cfu/g, while, the highest fungal load of 4.1 × 103 cfu/g was obtained from Osele market in Ikare. The two maize cultivars showed generally a low fungal count compared to their bacterial counterparts with 1.1 × 105 cfu/g root for a cultivar DMR-LSR-Y and 0.2 × 105 cfu/g root for TZMSR-W. The dry white maize grains showed generally low bacterial and fungal colonizations of 0.2 × 105 and 0.3 × 103 cfu/g respectively when compared to dry and fresh yellow types. Eleven bacteria genera and eight fungal species were isolated and identified from the roots and grains of maize. These includeCellulomonas, Bacillus, Pseudomonas, Staphylococcus, Micrococcus, Pediococcus, Microbacterium, Azospirillum, Kurtia, and Enterobacter, Acremonium zeae, Alternaria alternata, Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus niger, Colletotrichum graminicola, Fusarium verticillioides, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and Trichoderma koningii. The study was important in bioprospecting for biological activities and plant growth enhancers. Key words: Bacterial population, fungal population, endophytes, grains, roots, maize.