Isolation of endophytic bacteria from Psidium guajava for identification of substances of biotechnological interest

• Grant number: 13/08465-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: November 01, 2013
• End date: June 04, 2014
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Microbiology - Applied Microbiology
• Principal Investigator: Clovis Wesley Oliveira de Souza
• Grantee: Tahiana Menin Proença
• Host Institution: Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde (CCBS). Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCAR). São Carlos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Some microorganisms found in plant organs and tissues establish a symbiotic interaction with the host plant. The endophytic microoganisms, as they are called, contribute to plant adaptive mechanisms to environment by producing bioactive substances which operate for plant health. Guava (Psidium guajava) is a fruit tree of family Myrtaceae, subspontaneous and native in almost entire Brazil, widely cultivated in domestic and commercial orchards. It is a plant broadly used in folk medicine and it presents several clinical applications. The main application is in the treatment of diarrhea and dysentery due to its antimicrobial properties. Considering the characteristics of endophytic microorganisms and the traditional use of guava, this work aims to isolate and characterize the bacterial endophytes from Psidium guajava for evaluation of its antimicrobial character. Furthermore, tests will be carried out in order to evaluate its role in plant growth promotion.