African Journal of Ecology and Ecosystems

African Journal of Ecology and Ecosystems ISSN 2756-3367 Vol. 12 (6), pp. 001-006, June, 2025. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Endophytic Microbial Communities in Maize: Bacterial and Fungal Associations with Grains and Roots

Orole, O. O. and Adejumo, T. O.*

Department of Microbiology, Adekunle Ajasin University, P. M. B. 001, Akungba-Akoko, Ondo State, Nigeria.

Accepted 20 March, 2025

The study was carried out to determine the microbes of maize grains sourced from five markets in Akungba and Ikare-Akoko, Ondo State, Nigeria. Bacterial and fungal microbes from roots of two maize cultivars DMR-LSR-Y and TZMSR-W were also investigated using the pour plate method. Results showed that grains from Oja Oba had the highest bacterial population of 4.8 × 105 cfu/g, while, the highest fungal load of 4.1 × 103 cfu/g was obtained from Osele market in Ikare. The two maize cultivars showed generally a low fungal count compared to their bacterial counterparts with 1.1 × 105 cfu/g root for a cultivar DMR-LSR-Y and 0.2 × 105 cfu/g root for TZMSR-W. The dry white maize grains showed generally low bacterial and fungal colonizations of 0.2 × 105 and 0.3 × 103 cfu/g respectively when compared to dry and fresh yellow types. Eleven bacteria genera and eight fungal species were isolated and identified from the roots and grains of maize. These include Cellulomonas, Bacillus, Pseudomonas, Staphylococcus, Micrococcus, Pediococcus, Microbacterium, Azospirillum, Kurtia, and Enterobacter, Acremonium zeae, Alternaria alternata, Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus niger, Colletotrichum graminicola, Fusarium verticillioides, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and Trichoderma koningii. The study was important in bioprospecting for biological activities and plant growth enhancers.

Key words: Bacterial population, fungal population, endophytes, grains, roots, maize.