PERTANIKA JOURNAL OF TROPICAL AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE

Numerous studies have demonstrated the importance of plant endophytic bacteria in promoting plant growth and fitness, both of which are crucial to agriculture. They have been shown to enhance nutrient uptake and utilisation, disease resistance, and stress tolerance, resulting in higher yields. However, only a few studies have been carried out on Mangifera indica cv. Harumanis endophytes, and those focused on fungi. This study therefore aimed to explore the composition, diversity, and potential functions of the endophytic bacterial community in M. indica cv. Harumanis, and this, to the best of our knowledge, is the first report. Fresh and asymptomatic leaves were collected for analysis. The bacterial endophytes were investigated by metagenomic analysis of the V3-V4 region of the 16S rRNA. Results showed unclassified bacteria (51-82%), followed by Alphaproteobacteria (5-15%), Gammaproteobacteria (3-8%), and Actinobacteria (2-10%) as the dominant bacterial phyla in the leaf tissues. Dominant genera revealed in the leaf tissues included Pseudonocardia, Caulobacter, Nocardioides, and Achromobacter, which are generally considered beneficial in environmental and agricultural contexts. These bacteria possess several plant growth-promoting traits such as nutrient cycling, defence against pathogens and stress tolerance, indicating their potential role in sustainable agriculture. The study concludes that the leaves of M. indica L. cv. Harumanis have a unique endophytic bacterial community that is crucial for plant growth and health and can be explored for agricultural applications, including biofertilizers and biocontrol agents.