ABSTRACT
Siderophores are low molecular weight iron chelating secondary metabolites synthesized by various groupsof microorganisms help in scavenging iron-limited conditions. Siderophores produced by endophytic bacteriafacilitate the plant growth by providing iron to plants. The objective of this study was to isolate and screenthe siderophore producing endophytes from nodules and roots of Cicer arietinum and Pisum sativum plants.Out of total 84 isolates, only 14 endophytes produced siderophore and quantitative analysis was also done.Ten best siderophore producers (above 65% siderophore units) were characterized for the type of siderophoreproduced. Most of them were producing hydroxamate and carboxylate type of siderophores. These 10 isolateswere evaluated for other plant growth promoting (PGP) traits in vitro. All of them were producing ammoniaand indole-3-acetic acid (IAA). Isolate CPFR10 was found to be positive for all the PGP traits viz. ammonia,organic acid, HCN, and IAA production. Diversity analysis of these 10 isolates using Amplified rDNARestriction Analysis profile revealed nine genotypes at 90% similarity