Isolation of Endophytic Microorganisms from the Caper Plant (Capparis spinosa) and Investigation of Their Colony Morphology.
Received: 2026-10-13
Published: 2026-09-30
Abstract
Endophytic microorganisms residing within plant tissues are attracting interest as a source of biological agents for the development of organic agriculture. The aim of this study was to isolate endophytic microorganisms from the root, stem, and leaf tissues of the caper plant (Capparis spinosa) growing in the Tashkent Botanical Garden, obtain pure cultures, and compare their colony morphology on PDA and TSA culture media. Tissue segments were surface-sterilized with 70% ethyl alcohol and inoculated onto PDA medium. Pure cultures were obtained through three successive rounds of subculturing, and the effectiveness of surface sterilization was assessed by inoculating the final rinse water. Microbial growth was observed in 46 of the 54 tissue segments inoculated, and a total of 15 pure strains were isolated. No growth was recorded in the control plates. Strain KI-15 exhibited differences in colony color and structure on PDA and TSA media. The isolated strains will serve as a basis for further molecular identification and investigation of their antagonistic activity.