Biological attack of pyrite is a potential method of reducing pyritic sulphur in coal. Integration of such attacks with microwave pretreatment can enhance the efficiency of the process. Alternatively, processes such as oil-agglomeration can be coupled with the biological attack to obtain higher rates of pyritic sulphur removal. In this study desulphurization of Indian (Assam) coal was carried o...

We report here the complete genome sequence of Mesorhizobium ciceri bv. biserrulae strain WSM1497, the efficient nitrogen-fixing microsymbiont and commercial inoculant in Australia of the forage legume Biserrula pelecinus The genome consists of 7.2 Mb distributed across a single chromosome (6.67 Mb) and a single plasmid (0.53 Mb).

When the strictly autotrophic bacterium Thiobacillus thiooxidans was grown on sulfur, keto acids accumulated in the medium until they reached an inhibitory level at which growth ceased. Much greater growth was possible if these substances were continually dialyzed out of the medium.

As part of a study on the assimilation of organic compounds by autotrophic microorganisms, enrichment cultures were set up for thiobacilli. A facultatively autotrophic Thiobacillus was isolated in pure culture and grew heterotrophically on many organic compounds including p-hydroxybenzoate (PHBz). Since degradation of aromatic compounds is carried out by a limited range of bacterial genera, the...

OBJECTIVE Four lactic acid bacteria (LAB) strains isolated from common vetch, tall fescue and perennial ryegrass on the Tibetan Plateau were characterized, and their effects on the fermentation quality of Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) silage were studied. METHODS The four isolated strains and one commercial inoculant (G, Lactobacillus plantarum MTD-1) were evaluated using the aci...

Climbing bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) production in Kenya is greatly undermined by low soil fertility, especially in agriculturally prolific areas. The use of effective native rhizobia inoculants to promote nitrogen fixation could be beneficial in climbing bean production. In this study, we carried out greenhouse and field experiments to evaluate symbiotic efficiency, compare the effect of nati...