ISOLATION, CHARACTERIZATION AND MOLECULAR IDENTIFICATION OF BACTERIA PRESENT IN Talinum fruticosum RHIZOSPHERE

ABSTRACT

The rhizosphere is a narrow region of the soil that surrounds and is influenced by the roots of plants. It is a hotspot for microbial activity, due to the release of root exudates, which attract and sustain a diverse community of microorganisms such as the bacteria. Understanding the bacterial community inhabiting the rhizosphere of plants holds immense significance for agriculture, ecology, and biotechnology. The aim of this study is to isolate, characterized and molecularly identify the bacterial community found in the rhizosphere of Talinum fruticosum plant, a common herbaceous plant species. This involves collecting soil samples randomly from six different sites, from a farm situated at Ekosodin community, specifically from the region surrounding the plant roots, which are then transported to the laboratory for further analysis. The soil samples were then subjected to morphological, biochemical, and molecular analysis to determine their taxonomic identity. The specific bacterial isolates gotten from this analysis includes theKlebsiella species, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, E.coli (Escherichia coli), Bacillus subtilis, Enterobacter aerogenes and Serratia maercescens and then further experiment was carried out to ascertain the identity of these bacteria isolates through the use of molecular analysis using the Sanger sequencing. This study can also aid other researchers in their research into further understanding of the diverse bacterial community identified and their potential applications in agriculture and environmental management.