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

Summary

Researchers studied beneficial bacteria and fungi living inside olive trees from Sicily to create a collection of microorganisms that could improve olive farming. They found that wild olive trees and samples collected in winter had the most diverse and beneficial microbes, and that organic farming practices supported greater microbial diversity. Some of these microbes, especially Bacillus bacteria, showed promise in fighting fungal diseases and promoting plant growth, offering potential for developing natural fertilizers and disease control methods.

Background

Endophytic microorganisms play crucial roles in plant growth and health by colonizing internal plant tissues and providing beneficial traits. Despite the economic importance of olive cultivation, studies on culturable microbial diversity of olive phyllosphere remain limited, particularly regarding Italian olive groves.

Objective

This study aims to identify optimal conditions for isolating and developing a collection of culturable endophytic microorganisms to support sustainable Olea europaea cultivation by examining different host types, plant materials, phenological phases, and agricultural practices.

Results

A total of 133 endophytic isolates were identified spanning Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, Actinobacteria, Ascomycota, and Basidiomycota. Wild olive trees contributed greater microbial diversity than cultivars, twigs hosted more taxa than leaves, and winter sampling yielded highest taxonomic richness. Key PGP traits included siderophore and IAA production, nitrogen fixation, and antifungal activity, with Bacillus licheniformis showing 40.3% inhibition against Neofusicoccum vitifusiforme.

Conclusion

Mediterranean olive endophytes demonstrate significant diversity and functional potential for biocontrol and stress tolerance applications. Wild olive accessions, twig samples, and winter sampling proved optimal for establishing representative microbial collections, supporting development of targeted olive-microbial consortia for sustainable cultivation.
  • Published in:Microorganisms,
  • Study Type:Observational Study,
  • Source: 10.3390/microorganisms13071502; PMID: 40732010
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