Sustainable and rational management of agrophytocenoses depends on various bioindices and methods of application, particularly the development and protection of soil resources (Lai et al., 2002). Among other indices, enzyme activity is proposed as a universal index of soil fertility and contamination (Dilly et al., 2003). To ascertain and to make a comparison of bioactivity variation during the...

In Agricultural practices pesticides are used for crop production and to produce high yield. But indiscriminate and excessive use of pesticides in agriculture leads to environmental pollution and in soil it is not degrading. A pesticide disturbs the activities of soil enzymes and soil micro biota. So we investigated in laboratory conditions that the effect of two insecticides, Thiodicarb (Dimet...

An experiment has been performed to determine the activity of arylsulphatase in soil submitted to pressure of four polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons: naphthalene, phenanthrene, anthracene, and pyrene, in the amount of: 0, 1,000, 2,000, and 4,000 mg kg-1 dm of soil. Soil samples were also applied some organic substances, such as: cellulose, sucrose, and compost, in the amount of 0 and 9 g kg-1 dm...

The current study was aimed at isolating and identifying the halophilic and halotolerant bacteria which can produce mercuric reductase in Gavkhuni wetland in Iran. Moreover, tracking and sequencing merA gene and kinetic properties of mercuric reductase in the selected strain were performed in this study. Soil samples were taken from Gavkhuni wetland and cultured in nutrient agar medium...

The current study includes the screening of indigenous extracellular laccase producing fungus from the soil, identified as Phanerochaete chrysosporiumspecies.The selected strain was applied under the optimized condition for the production of  laccase in the solid state fermentation. The effect of polyethylene glycol and Triton X-100 on the enhancement of enzyme activity and bi...

SUMMARY The impact of a Pseudomonas fluorescens strain, genetically modified for kanamycin resistance and lactose utilisation (the GMM), could be enhanced by soil amendment with lactose and kanamycin. Lactose addition decreased the shoot to root ratio of pea, and both soil amendments increased the populations of total culturable bacteria and the inoculated GMM. Only kanamycin perturbed the bact...

We measured organic carbon input and content of soil in two wetland areas of Chongming Dongtan (Yangtze River Estuary) to evaluate variability in organic carbon accumulation capability in different wetland soils. Observed differences were investigated based on the microbial activity and environmental factors of the soil at the two sites. Results showed that the organic carbon content of wetland...

Bacillus circulans Jordan 32352 was isolated from decaying organic matter in the New Jersey soil in the early 1930s. This soil-dwelling bacterium produced an enzyme capable of degrading the type 3 capsular polysaccharide (Pn3P) of Streptococcus pneumoniae (Spn). Early reports of this enzyme, Pn3Pase, demonstrated its inducibility by, and specificity for Pn3P. We set out to identify and clone th...

All the regulations that define a maximum concentration of metals in the receiving soil are based on total soil metal concentration. However, the potential toxicity of a heavy metal in the soil depends on its speciation and availability. We studied the effects of heavy metal speciation and availability on soil microorganism activities along a Cu/Zn contamination gradient. Microbial biomass and ...

A solid-state bioprocess with wheat bran and rice husk as substrate was used to isolate filamentous fungi with lipase activity from dairy effluent and soil contaminated with diesel oil. The lipase activity was measured in units, with one unit (U) being defined as the amount of enzyme required to liberate 1 micromol of fatty acids per minute per gram of bran substrate (1 U = 1 micromol min(-1) g...