Discovering the potential of endophytic bacteria isolated from Styrax paralleloneurus as IAA production

Abstract

Endophytic bacteria have been extensively researched for their ability to produce phytohormones and provide essential nutrients for plant growth. However, there have been a few explorations of endophytic bacteria from the Toba Frankincense plant (Styrax paralleloneurus), the primary benzoin resin source in Sumatra, Indonesia. This research aims to identify endophytic bacteria with the ability to produce IAA from S. paralleloneurus stems. This study isolated, characterized, and molecularly identified bacteria from tapped and untapped S. paralleloneurus stems. Tests were conducted to assess their potential as plant growth promoters, including IAA production. Our research successfully identified Micrococcus aloeverae and Bacillus aerius as potential plant growth-promoting bacteria, capable of producing 15.63 and 3.96 ppm of IAA, respectively. Thus, this study will also serve as a reference for understanding how tapping the frankincense sap affects the ability of endophytic bacteria to produce IAA and dissolve phosphate.