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Endophytic Diversity in Sicilian Olive Trees: Identifying Optimal Conditions for a Functional Microbial Collection

Summary

Researchers studied beneficial microorganisms living inside olive trees in Sicily to understand how to boost plant health and disease resistance. They found that wild olive trees and woody twigs harbor more diverse and beneficial microbes than cultivated varieties. Bacillus bacteria were particularly valuable, producing compounds that protect plants and promote growth. These findings could help farmers reduce chemical inputs while improving olive production.

Background

Olive trees face increasing vulnerability to biotic and abiotic stressors due to climate change. Plant growth-promoting endophytes are beneficial microorganisms that can enhance plant health and stress tolerance. Limited research exists on culturable endophytic diversity in Mediterranean olive groves, particularly comparing wild and cultivated varieties across different farming systems.

Objective

To identify optimal conditions for isolating and developing a collection of culturable endophytic microorganisms from Sicilian olive cultivars and wild accessions. The study evaluated how host type, plant material, seasonality, and agricultural practices influence endophytic diversity and plant-growth-promoting traits.

Results

A total of 133 endophytic isolates were identified across Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, Actinobacteria, Ascomycota, and Basidiomycota. Wild olives contributed greater microbial diversity than cultivars, twigs hosted more taxa than leaves, and winter sampling yielded peak diversity. Bacillus spp. dominated with multiple plant-growth-promoting traits and enzymatic activities, particularly antifungal activity against Neofusicoccum vitifusiforme.

Conclusion

Wild olive trees and twigs provide optimal sources for enriching endophytic microbial collections. Winter sampling and organic farming systems enhance microbial richness. These findings support development of targeted olive-microbial consortia for sustainable cultivation and biological control applications.
  • Published in:Microorganisms,
  • Study Type:Observational Study,
  • Source: PMID: 40732010, DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms13071502
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