In a previous study, three bacterial strains isolated from tropical hydrocarbon-contaminated soils and phylogenetically identified as Achromobacter sp. strain SL1, Pseudomonas sp. strain SL4 and Microbacterium esteraromaticum strain SL6 displayed angular dioxygenation and mineralization of carbazole in batch cultures. In this study, the ability of these isolates to survive and enhance carbazole...

Various bacteria were isolated from the casing layer soil of the culture bed of P. ostreatus and their role in fruiting body induction of the edible mushroom, P. ostreatus, was investigated. Analysis of the bacterial community isolated from the casing layer soil revealed that the composition of genera and number of cultivable bacteria were different for each sterilizing treatment. Bordetella wa...

Infective juveniles (J3) of the entomogenous nematodes Steinernema feltiae DD-136 (ca. 10,000 J3/100 ml) and S. glaseri (ca. 2,500 J3/100 ml) were incubated in steam-sterilized and nonsterilized sandy soil and bark compost for 8 weeks at 25 C. The nematodes were recovered by a two-step extraction procedure at 1-week intervals, and their infectivity to lepidopterous larvae (Spodoptera litura and...

The hybrid Pseudomonas cepacia strain JHR22 was tested for its ability to degrade Aroclor 1221 in soil. The influence of supplements--mineral salts and trace elements--on the degradation was investigated. Disappearance of Aroclor 1221 congeners, occurrence of metabolites, and release of chloride were measured under different conditions. After 45 days the hybrid organism, strain JHR22, was still...

Theoretical models predict weakening of negative biotic interactions and strengthening of positive interactions with increasing abiotic stress. However, most empirical tests have been restricted to plant-plant interactions. No empirical study has examined theoretical predictions of interactions between plants and below-ground micro-organisms, although soil biota strongly regulates plant communi...

Effective microorganisms (EM), a culture of coexisting beneficial microorganisms predominantly consisting of species of photosynthetic and lactic acid bacteria, yeast and actinomycetes, has been developed by Japanese Scientists. In the present study effect of soil sterilization on performance of a commercial EM biofertilizer (EM Bioab), in improving crop growth and yield in wheat (Triticum aest...

Soil was sterilized by various procedures, and then the resident microorganisms were physically separated and concentrated from the soil for viewing by transmission electron microscopy as thin sections and frozen-etched preparation. Remaining cell viability in the soil was tested by conventional plating before and after enrichment culture. The soil proved to be sterile after treatment with 60Co...