Growth of Streptomycetes on various nutrients

Abstract

The streptomycetes, a group of bacteria significant for their production of antibiotics, are commonly found in the rhizosphere where they feed off nutrients exuded from plant roots. Previously, the antibiotic activity of streptomycetes isolated from three plant species were studied, and a link to plant species was discovered. We hypothesize the link between plant species and phenotype of the streptomycetes may be due to nutrients on which the streptomycetes feed. Streptomycete spores were inoculated onto Biolog plates. The relationship between the nutrients metabolized by each streptomycete isolate and the plant rhizosphere from which it was collected is presented.