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چکیده
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Endophytic bacteria isolated from medicinal plants exhibit the capacity to synthesize a diverse array of secondary metabolites with multiple biological applications, spanning pharmaceutical innovation to sustainable agriculture. Certain endophytic strains demonstrate biocontrol efficacy against phytopathogens through antimicrobial compound production or induction of systemic resistance in plants. Rhizoctonia solani, a soil-borne fungal pathogen responsible for seedling damping-off, represents a critical threat to greenhouse and field-grown vegetables, incurring substantial annual crop losses. This study investigated the biocontrol potential of endophytic bacteria isolated from Euphorbia medicinal plants against R. solani in parsley (Petroselinum crispum). Bacterial isolates were screened for antifungal activity and their ability to enhance parsley seed germination and early seedling growth under laboratory conditions. Subsequent greenhouse trials evaluated the effects of the selected strain on the reduction of disease severity and plant growth-promoting. The isolate was identified via 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Among the tested isolates, strain Eu1 exhibited superior antifungal activity and significantly accelerated seed germination. Inoculation with Eu1 increased parsley seedling fresh weight, dry weight, root length, and shoot length by 213%, 194%, 163%, and 253.6%, respectively, compared to untreated controls. Disease severity reduction reached 90% in greenhouse trials. Molecular identification confirmed that the isolate was Bacillus subtilis. Findings suggest that Bacillus subtilis Eu1 inoculation offers dual benefits: substantial suppression of R. solani disease and remarkable growth enhancement in parsley. Implementation of such endophytic inoculants could reduce dependency on synthetic fungicides and fertilizers while improving crop productivity and plant health.
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