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A plant growth promoting bacterial endophyte designated as AL2-14B isolated from the leaves of Achyranthes aspera L. was identified as Pseudomonas aeruginosa based on its phenotypic and physiological features, and 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis. AL2-14B had plant growth stimulating attributes including siderophore and indole acetic acid release, inorganic phosphate solubilization, along with nitrogenase, ammonification, and protease activities. It also exhibited antifungal property against Rhizoctonia solani. The plantlets grown in germ-free condition were inoculated with AL2-14B and studied for the colonization of endophyte. Significant increase in population of AL2-14B between 3rd and 5th days after inoculation was recorded. The treatment of plants with endophytic P. aeruginosa AL2-14B increased nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium (NPK) contents in plant by 3.8, 12.59, and 19.15%, respectively. Significant enhancement of shoot and root length, dry leaf, dry shoot and dry root weight, and leaf surface area as compared to control (P < 0.05) was recorded in AL2-14B inoculated plants. The antioxidant activities increased in plants grown in germ-free conditions and inoculated with AL2-14B. The present study emphasizes on the role of diazotrophic endophyte P. aeruginosa AL2-14B in stimulating growth of A. aspera L. and improvement of its medicinal properties. Significant increase in growth and antioxidant content of P. aeruginosa AL2-14B treated plants suggests the possibility of an economical and eco-friendly mean of achieving antioxidants rich, healthier A. aspera plants.

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There has been a spurt in the spread of microbial resistance to antibiotics due to indiscriminate use of antimicrobial agents in human medicine, agriculture, and animal husbandry. It has been realized that conventional antibiotic therapy would be less effective in the coming decades and more emphasis should be given for the development of novel antiinfective therapies. Cysteine rich peptides (CRPs) are broad‐spectrum antimicrobial agents that modulate the innate immune system of different life forms such as bacteria, protozoans, fungi, plants, insects, and animals. These are also expressed in several plant tissues in response to invasion by pathogens, and play a crucial role in the regulation of plant growth and development. The present work explores the importance of CRPs as potent antimicrobial agents, which can supplement and/or replace the conventional antibiotics. Different plant parts of diverse plant species showed the presence of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), which had significant structural and functional diversity. The plant‐derived AMPs exhibited potent activity toward a range of plant and animal pathogens, protozoans, insects, and even against cancer cells. The cysteine‐rich AMPs have opened new avenues for the use of plants as biofactories for the production of antimicrobials and can be considered as promising antimicrobial drugs in biotherapeutics.

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