<![CDATA[Acidic soil is one of the major constraints in maize cultivation because low soil pH can increase the solubility of Al and Fe, inhibit root growth, and reduce nutrient availability, particularly phosphorus. Rhizosphere bacteria have the potential to support plant growth through various mechanisms; therefore, the exploration of local bacterial isolates from acidic soil environments is important. This study aimed to isolate and characterize rhizosphere bacteria associated with hybrid maize grown in acidic soil in Moncongloe Village, Maros Regency. Bacterial isolation was carried out using serial dilution and cultivation on Nutrient Agar (NA) medium, followed by colony purification and characterization based on colony morphology, Gram reaction using 3% KOH, and catalase activity using 3% H₂O₂. The results showed that 14 bacterial isolates were obtained from maize rhizosphere samples for further characterization. All isolates showed a Gram-positive reaction, while the catalase test revealed that 11 isolates (78.57%) were catalase-positive and 3 isolates (21.43%) were catalase-negative. Differences in morphological and basic biochemical characteristics indicate the diversity of rhizosphere bacterial isolates capable of growing under acidic soil conditions. These isolates have the potential to serve as local microbial candidates for biofertilizer development; however, further studies are required to evaluate their PGPR functional traits, biosafety, and molecular identification.]]>
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