ABSTRACT

Plants are constantly involved in interaction with a wide range ofbacteria. Plant associated bacteria colonize the rhizosphere (rhizobacteria), phyllosphere (epiphytes) and inside the plant tisucs (endophy1es. Endophes are the microorganisms that do not visibly harmful to the plants and can he able to live inside the tissues for the enhancing growth and sources of feiiIization for host (Gaiero et ci., 2013). Endophytic bacteria are ubiquitous distributed in most plant species either through their active colonization or as latent residents in plant tissues. Endophytes need to initially enter the plant endosphere, adapt new environment and promote plant growth, yield and plant defense responses. Endophytic bacterial diversity within plants depends on their ability to colonize allocation of plant resources and establishing population both inter and intracellularly. Root endophytes often colonize and penetrate the epidermis at sites of lateral root emergence, root hair zone and root cracks and residing within apoplastic space between plant cells (Schulz and Boyle, 2006). Cellulase and protease act as key enzymes for the invasion and colonization of plant roots (Susilowati et al., 2015). Plant root colonization by the endophytic bacteria is considered as primary step towards successful initiation of plant microbe interaction (Nelson, 2004; Bhattacharjee et al., 2012).