Endophytic fungi Beauveria bassiana Balsamo accelerates growth of common bean (Phaeseolus vulgaris L.)

Background: Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is a source of antioxidant-containing vegetable protein that is beneficial to human health. The intense cultivation of common bean may result in environmental degradation. Thus, environmentally friendly cultivation methods that use an endophyte to improve productivity are needed. An entomopathogenic fungus, Beauveria bassiana, can serve as an endophyte that stimulates the growth of Gossypium. Therefore, we isolated and identified B. bassiana and also examined its function as a beneficial endophyte that promotes the growth of common bean. Results: An entomopathogenic fungus, B. bassiana, was collected and identified based on macroscopic and microscopic characteristics that were observed during morphological examination. B. bassiana was propagated and inoculated into common bean via seed soaking, soil wetting, and leaf spraying. The soil-wetting and leaf-spraying methods used to inoculate B. bassiana effectively enhanced the growth of common bean, which was observed at day 10 post-inoculation. However, no significant growth enhancement of common bean was observed when the seed-soaking inoculation method was used. Conclusions: These results suggest a positive correlation between the B. bassiana inoculation method and growth enhancement of common bean. This study showed the endophytic potency of the fungus that may be used in the development of environmentally friendly cultivation methods of common bean.[Figure not available: see fulltext.].