Isolation and Molecular Identification of Endophytic Bacteria from Tylosema esculentum

Tylosema esculentum is a perennial legume that is predominant in Namibia, Botswana, and South Africa. It is rich in nutrients, drought-tolerant, and a climate change contender for future agriculture. The objectives of this study were to isolate and identify culturable bacterial endophytes. Our study assessed the mean CFUs/mL among the tuberous roots, stems, and leaves to determine the density and diversity using ANOVA. It was a quantitatively controlled experiment in which seeds were grown in a greenhouse. The bacteria number varied from 1.29 x 108 to 3.5 x 108 CFU/ml of broth, with the highest in the tuberous roots and the lowest in the leaves. At a 5% significant level, we revealed that there is a difference among the bacterial densities of the plant parts. Shannon-Weiner diversity showed that there is a higher diversity of bacteria in the tuberous roots. Of the isolates that were obtained, 53.8% belonged to Enterobacter, 15.4% to Bacillus, 15.4% to Pantoea, and 7.67% to Burkholderia. These discoveries have made us more aware of the endophytic bacteria we now have. These strains might thus be used in food crops to boost productivity, enabling food security, especially in Africa. The significance of the isolates in biological control, agriculture, and biotechnology for growth promotion will be determined by further research.