[Microbiological properties of two endophytic bacteria isolated from tea (Camellia sinensis L.)]

We investigated biological activities, physiological and biochemical properties of two endophytic bacteria isolated from fresh leaves of tea plants.

We did morphological observation, biological activity test, physiological and biochemical assays, 16S rDNA analysis, and compared their genotype and phenotype with those of 13 Herbaspirillum species.

Their colonies were round, opaque, central uplift and regular edge with a milky white color. Their cells were Gram-negative, rod-shaped with the size of (0.5-0.7) mm x (1.4-1.8) mm and flagellers, but without spore. Both isolates produced indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) (18.7 mg/L for WT00C and 24.9 mg/L for WT00F), ammonia and siderophores, but no nitrogen-fixing activity. The 16S rDNA had sequences similarities of 99.7% each other and 99% with 13 Herbaspirillum species. Two isolates used carbon source as described in the genus Herbaspirillum, except for propionate salt. The neighbor-joining tree built using the 16S rDNA showed that two isolates formed an independent group, which kept certain genetic distance from the 13 Herbaspirillum species. Their physiological and biochemical characteristics and genotypes were different from those for 13 Herbaspirillum species.

Two isolates WT00C and WT00F were classified as novel members in the genus Herbaspirillum.