Indigenous bacterial endophytic PGPMs of chickpea: Characterization and hidden antagonistic potential against <i>Rhizoctonia bataticola</i> causing dry root rot of chickpea

Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is grown in more than 50 countries. India the largest chickpea-producing country accounting for 64% of global chickpea production. However, production contrained by dry root rot disease caused Rhizoctonia bataticola. Considering this problem, investigation was carried out to isolate, characterize and antagonistic potential indigenous endophytic PGPMs one components integrated management chickpeas eco-friendly manner. Hence, isolation thirty from using spread plate technique. The cultural characters Gram’s staining reaction confirmed that isolated plant tissues were bacteria. Among bacterial strains, eight showed 50% mycelial inhibition pathogen. Out five highly superior strains selected subjected 16S rDNA gene sequencing universal primers (16Sr DNA F 16Sr R), which produced amplified products size 1500 bp. nBLAST results sequence revealed all homology with genus Bacillus but different species. namely, BEPGPM-5, BEPGPM-9, BEPGPM-27, BEPGPM-28, BEPGPM-30 identified as B. tropicus, pacificus, cereus, subtilis, respectively, based on molecular