Isolation and Characterization of the Symbiotic-Pathogenic Bacteria isolated from Trifolium Resupinatum Plant from the Southern Region of Isfahan, Iran

Plant diseases have a significant impact on plants and their crop yields, causing extensive epidemics and recurrent damages that result in profound negative effects. Bacteria such as Erwinia, Pectobacterium, and Klebsiella have a very wide host range and can play a pathogenic role for a large number of ornamental and agricultural plants or even establish a symbiotic relationship with the plant. This group of bacteria that cause all kinds of plant diseases are able to affect seed tubers and the soil microbial community. The objective of this investigation was to identify and classify the distinct symbiotic pathogens associated with Trifolium resupinatum plants obtained from the Shahreza region located in the southern part of Isfahan, Iran. In this investigation, T. resupinatum specimens harboring nodular root structures were initially identified and subsequently retrieved from various locations in the southern region of Isfahan (Shahreza), before being transported to the laboratory. The Yeast Mannitol Agar (YMA) medium underwent a cultivation procedure, subsequent to which the bacterial samples were subjected to molecular identification utilizing morphological and biochemical tests. Additionally, the colony-PCR technique was employed to achieve definitive identification. This study examined the molecular features of three distinct species namely Erwinia chrysanthemi, Pectobacterium carotorum, and Klebsiella oxytoca. It was revealed that the former two species exhibited a symbiotic pathogenic relationship with the T. resupinatum plant, while the latter species posed a threat to human health as a pathogen.