A Soil and Rhizosphere Microorganism Isolation and Enumeration Medium That Inhibits Bacillus mycoides

A new solid medium has been developed for the enumeration and isolation of soil and rhizosphere microorganisms. This medium, named rhizosphere isolation medium, contains glucose and 15 of the 20 common amino acids. The absence of five other amino acids, namely, aspartic acid, asparagine, cysteine, proline, and threonine, inhibits the growth of Bacillus mycoides, a commonly encountered bacterium that rapidly spreads on agar media and complicates the isolation and enumeration of other microorganisms. Compared with a similar medium containing Casamino Acids, rhizosphere isolation medium had half as many colonies of B. mycoides, with each colony approximately half the diameter. The two media had similar total numbers of bacterial colonies. Isolates were divided into taxononomic groups, roughly corresponding to species and genus, by fatty acid methyl ester analysis and numerical methods. There were 24 genera and 41 species found in the isolates from rhizosphere isolation medium, while 19 genera and 35 species were found in the isolates from the medium prepared with Casamino Acids. No major group of bacteria was found to occur only on one medium or on the other, indicating that the five missing amino acids had no great effect on organisms other than B. mycoides. This medium may prove useful in soil and rhizosphere studies in which the growth of B. mycoides is undesirable.     

Extensive diversity of ionizing-radiation-resistant bacteria recovered from Sonoran Desert soil and description of nine new species of the genus Deinococcus obtained from a single soil sample

The ionizing-radiation-resistant fractions of two soil bacterial communities were investigated by exposing an arid soil from the Sonoran Desert and a nonarid soil from a Louisiana forest to various doses of ionizing radiation using a (60)Co source. The numbers of surviving bacteria decreased as the dose of gamma radiation to which the soils were exposed increased. Bacterial isolates surviving doses of 30 kGy were recovered from the Sonoran Desert soil, while no isolates were recovered from the nonarid forest soil after exposure to doses greater than 13 kGy. The phylogenetic diversities of the surviving culturable bacteria were compared for the two soils using 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis. In addition to a bacterial population that was more resistant to higher doses of ionizing radiation, the diversity of the isolates was greater in the arid soil. The taxonomic diversity of the isolates recovered was found to decrease as the level of ionizing-radiation exposure increased. Bacterial isolates of the genera Deinococcus, Geodermatophilus, and Hymenobacter were still recovered from the arid soil after exposure to doses of 17 to 30 kGy. The recovery of large numbers of extremely ionizing-radiation-resistant bacteria from an arid soil and not from a nonarid soil provides further ecological support for the hypothesis that the ionizing-radiation resistance phenotype is a consequence of the evolution of other DNA repair systems that protect cells against commonly encountered environmental stressors, such as desiccation. The diverse group of bacterial strains isolated from the arid soil sample included 60 Deinococcus strains, the characterization of which revealed nine novel species of this genus.     

Combined use of Alkane-Degrading and Plant Growth-Promoting Bacteria Enhanced Phytoremediation of Diesel Contaminated soil

Inoculation of plants with pollutant-degrading and plant growth-promoting microorganisms is a simple strategy to enhance phytoremediation activity. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of inoculation of different bacterial strains, possessing alkane-degradation and 1-amino-cyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) deaminase activity, on plant growth and phytoremediation activity. Carpet grass (Axonopus affinis) was planted in soil spiked with diesel (1% w/w) for 90 days and inoculated with different bacterial strains, Pseudomonas sp. ITRH25, Pantoea sp. BTRH79 and Burkholderia sp. PsJN, individually and in combination. Generally, bacterial application increased total numbers of culturable hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria in the rhizosphere of carpet grass, plant biomass production, hydrocarbon degradation and reduced genotoxicity. Bacterial strains possessing different beneficial traits affect plant growth and phytoremediation activity in different ways. Maximum bacterial population, plant biomass production and hydrocarbon degradation were achieved when carpet grass was inoculated with a consortium of three strains. Enhanced plant biomass production and hydrocarbon degradation were associated with increased numbers of culturable hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria in the rhizosphere of carpet grass. The present study revealed that the combined use of different bacterial strains, exhibiting different beneficial traits, is a highly effective strategy to improve plant growth and phytoremediation activity.     

烟草根际可培养微生物多样性及防病促生菌的筛选

【背景】根际微生物在植物根部生态系统中扮演着重要角色,影响着植物的营养吸收和健康生长。【目的】了解常年不发病烟田烤烟品种K326根际可培养微生物的多样性,筛选具有防病促生功能的菌株,为烟草病害绿色防控提供资源。【方法】采用传统培养方法对烟草根际土壤中的细菌和真菌进行分离鉴定,评价菌株的促生特性及病原菌拮抗能力,并进一步验证典型菌株对盆栽烟苗的促生效果。【结果】共获得261株微生物菌株,包括160株细菌和101株真菌。经分子鉴定,细菌中以变形菌门(Proteobacteria)和厚壁菌门(Firmicutes)为主要类群;真菌中以子囊菌门(Ascomycota)和毛霉菌门(Mucoromycota)为主要类群。在属水平上,细菌以假单胞菌属(Pseudomonas)和芽孢杆菌属(Bacillus)为主,真菌以曲霉属(Aspergillus)和青霉属(Penicillium)为主。从不同种水平上进一步选择44株细菌为代表菌株,发现它们均具有不同程度的吲哚-3-乙酸(Indole-3-Acetic Acid,IAA)产生能力,9株能够溶解有机磷,16株能够溶解无机磷,13株产生铁载体,14株产...     

茅尾海红树根际土壤可培养细菌多样性及抑菌活性研究

为挖掘茅尾海红树植物根际土壤可培养细菌资源,研究其抑菌活性,该文使用培养基对茅尾海5种红树植物(红海榄、黄槿、无瓣海桑、桐花树、阔苞菊)的7份根际土壤进行富集培养,选用6种不同分离培养基对富集样品进行可培养细菌的分离纯化,基于菌株16S rRNA基因序列信息进行物种多样性分析,并采用纸片法筛选具有抑制表皮葡萄球菌、耐甲氧西林金黄色葡萄球菌、铜绿假单胞菌活性的菌株。结果表明:(1)从7份红树植物根际土壤样品中分离到120种可培养细菌,隶属于35科47属,其中链霉菌属(Streptomyces sp.)占菌种总数的 14.2%,同时发现5种潜在新菌株。(2)通过抑菌活性初筛,发现9种细菌的发酵粗提物对至少一种致病菌具有抑菌活性。综上表明,茅尾海红树植物根际土壤可培养细菌多样性丰富,并且部分菌株具有抑制人类致病菌活性。该研究结果为新型抗生素的开发与利用提供了菌种资源。     

Plant growth promoting bacteria from Crocus sativus rhizosphere

Present study deals with the isolation of rhizobacteria and selection of plant growth promoting bacteria from Crocus sativus (Saffron) rhizosphere during its flowering period (October–November). Bacterial load was compared between rhizosphere and bulk soil by counting CFU/gm of roots and soil respectively, and was found to be ~40 times more in rhizosphere. In total 100 bacterial isolates were selected randomly from rhizosphere and bulk soil (50 each) and screened for in-vitro and in vivo plant growth promoting properties. The randomly isolated bacteria were identified by microscopy, biochemical tests and sequence homology of V1–V3 region of 16S rRNA gene. Polyphasic identification categorized Saffron rhizobacteria and bulk soil bacteria into sixteen different bacterial species with Bacillus aryabhattai (WRF5-rhizosphere; WBF3, WBF4A and WBF4B-bulk soil) common to both rhizosphere as well as bulk soil. Pseudomonas sp. in rhizosphere and Bacillus and Brevibacterium sp. in the bulk soil were the predominant genera respectively. The isolated rhizobacteria were screened for plant growth promotion activity like phosphate solubilization, siderophore and indole acetic acid production. 50 % produced siderophore and 33 % were able to solubilize phosphate whereas all the rhizobacterial isolates produced indole acetic acid. The six potential PGPR showing in vitro activities were used in pot trial to check their efficacy in vivo. These bacteria consortia demonstrated in vivo PGP activity and can be used as PGPR in Saffron as biofertilizers.This is the first report on the isolation of rhizobacteria from the Saffron rhizosphere, screening for plant growth promoting bacteria and their effect on the growth of Saffron plant.     

Controlled Release Fertilizer Increased Phytoremediation of Petroleum-Contaminated Sandy Soil

A greenhouse experiment was conducted to determine the effect of the application of controlled release fertilizer [(CRF) 0, 4, 6, or 8 kg m^–3] on Lolium multiflorum Lam. survival and potential biodegradation of petroleum hydrocarbons (0, 3000, 6000, or 15000 mg kg^–1) in sandy soil. Plant adaptation, growth, photosynthesis, total chlorophyll, and proline content as well as rhizosphere microbial population (culturable heterotrophic fungal and bacterial populations) and total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH)-degradation were determined. Petroleum induced-toxicity resulted in reduced plant growth, photosynthesis, and nutrient status. Plant adaptation, growth, photosynthesis, and chlorophyll content were enhanced by the application of CRF in contaminated soil. Proline content showed limited use as a physiological indicator of petroleum induced-stress in plants. Bacterial and filamentous fungi populations were stimulated by the petroleum concentrations. Bacterial populations were stimulated by CRF application. At low petroleum contamination, CRF did not enhance TPH-degradation. However, petroleum degradation in the rhizosphere was enhanced by the application of medium rates of CRF, especially when plants were exposed to intermediate and high petroleum contamination. Application of CRF allowed plants to overcome the growth impairment induced by the presence of petroleum hydrocarbons in soils.     

Development of selective media for the isolation and enumeration of Alternaria species from soil and plant debris

A new semi-selective medium, acidified weak potato-dextrose agar (AWPDA) with Mertect (active ingredient: thiabendazole), was developed for the isolation and enumeration of Alternaria species from samples of soil and plant debris. The medium was selected based on growth inhibition tests against Alternaria and several other commonly encountered saprobic fungi utilizing three antifungal agents, Botran (active ingredient: dichloran), Bayleton (active ingredient: triadimefon), and Mertect, and two basal media, acidified potato-dextrose agar (APDA) and AWPDA. Botran inhibited growth of Rhizopus stolonifer moderately, but had little effect on Cladosporium cladosporoides, Fusarium oxysporum, Penicillium chrysogenum, or Trichoderma harzianum. Bayleton inhibited growth of R. stolonifer and C. cladosporoides severely, and inhibited growth of F. oxysporum, P. chrysogenum, and T. harzianum moderately. Mertect inhibited growth of C. cladosporoides, F. oxysporum, P. chrysogenum, and T. harzianum completely, but had little or moderate effect on R. stolonifer. All three antifungal agents inhibited growth of Alternaria species slightly or moderately. The combination of Bayleton and Mertect inhibited growth of all fungi severely. A comparison of recovery rates of Alternaria from soil and plant debris samples on AWPDA with Mertect and weak potato-dextrose agar (WPDA) revealed that Alternaria spp. accounted for 63.6%-81.0% of recovered fungal isolates on AWPDA with Mertect as compared to 0.6%-2.7% of recovered isolates on WPDA. The AWPDA medium with Mertect exhibited superior selective growth of Alternaria species from samples of soil and plant debris, and will be useful in studies where the recovery and enumeration of Alternaria species is necessary.     

Culture-Dependent and -Independent Methods Capture Different Microbial Community Fractions in Hydrocarbon-Contaminated Soils

Bioremediation is a cost-effective and sustainable approach for treating polluted soils, but our ability to improve on current bioremediation strategies depends on our ability to isolate microorganisms from these soils. Although culturing is widely used in bioremediation research and applications, it is unknown whether the composition of cultured isolates closely mirrors the indigenous microbial community from contaminated soils. To assess this, we paired culture-independent (454-pyrosequencing of total soil DNA) with culture-dependent (isolation using seven different growth media) techniques to analyse the bacterial and fungal communities from hydrocarbon-contaminated soils. Although bacterial and fungal rarefaction curves were saturated for both methods, only 2.4% and 8.2% of the bacterial and fungal OTUs, respectively, were shared between datasets. Isolated taxa increased the total recovered species richness by only 2% for bacteria and 5% for fungi. Interestingly, none of the bacteria that we isolated were representative of the major bacterial OTUs recovered by 454-pyrosequencing. Isolation of fungi was moderately more effective at capturing the dominant OTUs observed by culture-independent analysis, as 3 of 31 cultured fungal strains ranked among the 20 most abundant fungal OTUs in the 454-pyrosequencing dataset. This study is one of the most comprehensive comparisons of microbial communities from hydrocarbon-contaminated soils using both isolation and high-throughput sequencing methods.     

Actinomycetales bacteria from a spruce stand: Characterization and effects on growth of root symbiotic and plant parasitic soil fungi in dual culture

The rhizosphere, the narrow zone of soil around living roots, is characterized by root exudates which attract soil microorganisms. Most importantly, certain soil fungi establish symbiotic interactions with fine roots which enhance nutrient availability for the plant partner (mycorrhiza). The establishment of such a symbiosis can be affected by soil bacteria. In this study we isolated Gram-positive soil bacteria from the rhizosphere of a spruce stand rich with fly agaric (Amanita muscaria) fruiting bodies. Using a coculture technique in Petri dishes, bacterial isolates were characterized by their effect on the growth of fungal hyphae. A group of bacterial strains were identified which significantly promoted growth of fly agaric hyphae. One of these strains was shown to additionally inhibit growth of pathogenic fungi such as Armillaria obscura (wide host range) and Heterobasidion annosum (causes wood decay in conifers). Taxonomic characterization of the effective bacterial isolates by their morphological appearance, by the analysis of diaminopimelic acid, cell wall sugars, and DNA sequencing (16S rDNA) identified them as actinomycetes, some of which are not yet contained in data banks.     

Differences in molybdenum uptake by micro-organisms from the rhizosphere ofraphanus sativus L. grown in two soils of similar origin

Summary Differences have been shown in molybdenum uptake by microorganisms from the rhizosphere and soil sampled away from the roots, of the radish,Raphanus sativus L., grown in market garden soils from Napier and Hastings (New Zealand).The organisms from the rhizosphere of plants in Hastings soil concentrated up to 55 ppm of molybdenum dry weight when grown in a liquid medium made from Hastings soil extract and supplemented with carbon, phosphorus, nitrogen, sulphur and molybdenum. The growth from an inoculum of pooled fungal isolates from the rhizosphere has been shown to contain a higher concentration of molybdenum than growth from pooled bacterial or streptomycete isolates. The growth from a combined bacterial and streptomycete inoculum contained a higher concentration of molybdenum than the growth from either group alone.Organisms from the rhizosphere and soil sampled away from the roots of radishes grown in Napier soil did not contain such high concentrations of molybdenum.No significant differences in the frequency of morphological types were found in the isolates from either soil.     

Comparative identification by fatty acid analysis of soil,rhizosphere, and geocarposphere bacteria of peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.)

Bacterial isolates were collected from the geocarposphere, rhizosphere, and root-free soil of field grown peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) at three sample dates, and the isolates were identified by analysis of fatty acid methyl-esters to determine if qualitative differences exist among the bacterial microflora of these zones. Five bacterial genera were associated with isolates from soil, while pod and root isolates constituted 16 and 13 genera, respectively, indicating that bacterial diversity was higher in the rhizosphere and geocarposphere than in soil. The dominant (most frequently identified) genus across all three samples dates was Flavobacterium, for pods, Pseudomonas for roots, and Bacillus, for root-free soil. Sixteen bacterial taxa were only isolated from the geocarposphere, 7 only from the rhizosphere, and 5 only from soil. These results show that specific bacterial taxa are preferentially adapted to colonization of the geocarposphere and suggest that the soil, rhizosphere, and geocarposphere constitute three distinct ecological niches. Bacteria which colonize the geocarposphere should be examined as potential biological control agents for pod-invading fungi such as the toxigenic strains of Aspergillus flavus and A. parasiticus.     

Impact of cultivation on characterisation of species composition of soil bacterial communities

The species composition of culturable bacteria in Scottish grassland soils was investigated using a combination of Biolog and 16S rDNA analysis for characterisation of isolates. The inclusion of a molecular approach allowed direct comparison of sequences from culturable bacteria with sequences obtained during analysis of DNA extracted directly from the same soil samples. Bacterial strains were isolated on Pseudomonas isolation agar (PIA), a selective medium, and on tryptone soya agar (TSA), a general laboratory medium. In total, 12 and 21 morphologically different bacterial cultures were isolated on PIA and TSA, respectively. Biolog and sequencing placed PIA isolates in the same taxonomic groups, the majority of cultures belonging to the Pseudomonas (sensu stricto) group. However, analysis of 16S rDNA sequences proved more efficient than Biolog for characterising TSA isolates due to limitations of the Microlog database for identifying environmental bacteria. In general, 16S rDNA sequences from TSA isolates showed high similarities to cultured species represented in sequence databases, although TSA-8 showed only 92.5% similarity to the nearest relative, Bacillus insolitus. In general, there was very little overlap between the culturable and uncultured bacterial communities, although two sequences, PIA-2 and TSA-13, showed >99% similarity to soil clones. A cloning step was included prior to sequence analysis of two isolates, TSA-5 and TSA-14, and analysis of several clones confirmed that these cultures comprised at least four and three sequence types, respectively. All isolate clones were most closely related to uncultured bacteria, with clone TSA-5.1 showing 99.8% similarity to a sequence amplified directly from the same soil sample. Interestingly, one clone, TSA-5.4, clustered within a novel group comprising only uncultured sequences. This group, which is associated with the novel, deep-branching Acidobacterium capsulatum lineage, also included clones isolated during direct analysis of the same soil and from a wide range of other sample types studied elsewhere. The study demonstrates the value of fine-scale molecular analysis for identification of laboratory isolates and indicates the culturability of approximately 1% of the total population but under a restricted range of media and cultivation conditions.     

Effects of site and plant species on rhizosphere community structure as revealed by molecular analysis of microbial guilds

The bacterial and fungal rhizosphere communities of strawberry (Fragaria ananassa Duch.) and oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.) were analysed using molecular fingerprints. We aimed to determine to what extent the structure of different microbial groups in the rhizosphere is influenced by plant species and sampling site. Total community DNA was extracted from bulk and rhizosphere soil taken from three sites in Germany in two consecutive years. Bacterial, fungal and group-specific (Alphaproteobacteria, Betaproteobacteria and Actinobacteria) primers were used to PCR-amplify 16S rRNA and 18S rRNA gene fragments from community DNA prior to denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) analysis. Bacterial fingerprints of soil DNA revealed a high number of equally abundant faint bands, while rhizosphere fingerprints displayed a higher proportion of dominant bands and reduced richness, suggesting selection of bacterial populations in this environment. Plant specificity was detected in the rhizosphere by bacterial and group-specific DGGE profiles. Different bulk soil community fingerprints were revealed for each sampling site. The plant species was a determinant factor in shaping similar actinobacterial communities in the strawberry rhizosphere from different sites in both years. Higher heterogeneity of DGGE profiles within soil and rhizosphere replicates was observed for the fungi. Plant-specific composition of fungal communities in the rhizosphere could also be detected, but not in all cases. Cloning and sequencing of 16S rRNA gene fragments obtained from dominant DGGE bands detected in the bacterial profiles of the Rostock site revealed that Streptomyces sp. and Rhizobium sp. were among the dominant ribotypes in the strawberry rhizosphere, while sequences from Arthrobacter sp. corresponded to dominant bands from oilseed rape bacterial fingerprints.     

宁夏黄土高原马铃薯连作栽培对土壤可培养细菌遗传多样性的影响

采用平板培养、BOXAIR-PCR和16S rDNA RFLP技术对宁夏黄土高原马铃薯连作栽培土壤可培养细菌遗传多样性进行研究。结果表明,4个连作年限2个生育期8份土样共分离到91株细菌菌株, BOXAIR-PCR分析发现,91株细菌菌株的遗传相似系数为0.531～0.939,相同连作年限不同生育期根际土细菌菌群分布不同,不同连作年限同一生育期根际土细菌菌群的分布也不同,随着连作年限增加,可培养细菌遗传多样性呈现下降趋势;结合16S rDNA 的序列分析,从91株菌株中筛选出的41个代表菌株可分为23个物种,分属于细菌域的12个属,其中,芽孢杆菌属（Bacillus）占同一连作年限菌株数的53.6%。连作导致土壤细菌菌群结构发生变化,出现各自特有的菌属。系统发育分析表明,23个细菌物种分布于6个系统发育群。     

Relationship between soil microbial diversity and bioremediation process at an oil refinery

Microbial diversity in hydrocarbon-contaminated soil was characterized during a bioremediation project at an oil refinery. The project consisted of isolation and cultivation of microbes on laboratory media and the subsequent characterization of pure isolates. In a lagoon at the Czechowice Oil Refinery, Poland, a biopile with actively and passively aerated sections was constructed and has been operated since 1997. The bioremediation process has been continuously monitored by physical, chemical, and microbiological methods. One hundred and forty nine bacterial and fungal strains were isolated from site soils by standard procedures. Analysis of cultivable microorganisms revealed a diverse microbial population within the cultured isolates. Among isolated strains, Pseudomonas and Chryseomonas genera predominated in the bacterial population while Candida, Fusarium, and Trichophyton dominated the fungal population. This paper describes the application of traditional microbiological methods (plating and microscopic methods) to evaluate cultivable microbial diversity in bioremediated soil.     

Effect of Bacterial Wilt on Fungal Community Composition in Rhizosphere Soil of Tobaccos in Tropical Yunnan

Bacterial wilt, which is a major soil-borne disease with widespread occurrence, poses a severe danger in the field of tobacco production. However, there is very limited knowledge on bacterial wilt-induced microecological changes in the tobacco root system and on the interaction between Ralstonia solanacearum and fungal communities in the rhizosphere soil. Thus, in this study, changes in fungal communities in the rhizosphere soil of tobaccos with bacterial wilt were studied by 18S rRNA gene sequencing. The community composition of fungi in bacterial wilt-infected soil and healthy soil in two tobacco areas (Gengma and Boshang, Lincang City, Yunnan Province, China) was studied through the paired comparison method in July 2019. The results showed that there were significant differences in fungal community composition between the rhizosphere soil of diseased plants and healthy plants. The changes in the composition and diversity of fungal communities in the rhizosphere soil of tobaccos are vital characteristics of tobaccos with bacterial wilt, and the imbalance in the rhizosphere microecosystem of tobacco plants may further aggravate the disease.     

Peptidoglycan from Bacillus cereus mediates commensalism with rhizosphere bacteria from the Cytophaga-Flavobacterium group

Previous research in our laboratory revealed that the introduction of Bacillus cereus UW85 can increase the populations of bacteria from the Cytophaga-Flavobacterium (CF) group of the Bacteroidetes phylum in the soybean rhizosphere, suggesting that these rhizosphere microorganisms have a beneficial relationship (G. S. Gilbert, J. L. Parke, M. K. Clayton, and J. Handelsman, Ecology 74:840-854, 1993). In the present study, we determined the frequency at which CF bacteria coisolated with B. cereus strains from the soybean rhizosphere and the mechanism by which B. cereus stimulates the growth of CF rhizosphere strains in root exudate media. In three consecutive years of sampling, CF strains predominated among coisolates obtained with B. cereus isolates from field-grown soybean roots. In root exudate media, the presence of B. cereus was required for CF coisolate strains to reach high population density. However, rhizosphere isolates from the phylum Proteobacteria grew equally well in the presence and absence of B. cereus, and the presence of CF coisolates did not affect the growth of B. cereus. Peptidoglycan isolated from B. cereus cultures stimulated growth of the CF rhizosphere bacterium Flavobacterium johnsoniae, although culture supernatant from B. cereus grown in root exudate media did not. These results suggest B. cereus and CF rhizosphere bacteria have a commensal relationship in which peptidoglycan produced by B. cereus stimulates the growth of CF bacteria.     

GROWTH RESPONSE OF SALMONELLA SPP. TO CYCLOHEXIMIDE AMENDMENT IN MEDIA

The present study was designed to evaluate cycloheximide as a potential media amendment to prevent fungal overgrowth on selective media for salmonellae enumeration. The objectives were to determine the effect of cycloheximide on Salmonella spp growth rates and to determine the effect of cycloheximide addition on Salmonella enumeration in selective media. The bacteria tested included two strains of Salmonella typhimurium (NO/NA and LT2) and one strain of Salmonella arizonae. All strains were grown in tryptic soy broth containing cycloheximide to determine the effect of cycloheximide on bacterial specific growth rates. The growth rate of all strains grown in tryptic soy broth were not significantly influenced by addition of cycloheximide at concentrations up to 1,000 mg/L. Growth rates of S. typhimurium NO/NA in minimal media were significantly decreased by addition of cycloheximide aerobically (300 mg/L) and anaerobically (600 mg/L). However, S. typhimurium NO/NA populations on brilliant green agar, MacConkey agar, and from selenite cysteine broth and tetrathionate broth were not affected by cycloheximide additions at concentrations up to 1,000 mg/L. Cycloheximide has potential as a fungistat additive for salmonellae selective media.     

Disease suppression and crop improvement through fluorescent pseudomonads isolated from cultivated soils

Three fluorescent pseudomonads isolated from rhizosphere/rhizoplane of crop plants showed in vitro antibiosis against seven fungal and two bacterial plant pathogens on iron-deficient KB medium. Seed bacterization of chick- pea (Cicer arientinum L.), egg plant (Solanum melongena L.), soybean (Glycine max Merr.) and tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) with these organisms showed an increased seed germination, shoot height, root length, fresh weight, dry weight and yield. Seed bacterization with one of these strains, RB 8, reduced the number of chick-pea wilted plants in wilt-sick (Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. ciceris) soil. Addition of iron into the soil eliminated the disease suppression. The disease suppression and/or growth enhancement along with the positive root colonization by these organisms indicate their possible use as plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR)/biocontrol agents against chick-pea wilt.