Characterization of salt tolerant bacteria isolated from the rhizosphere of Leptochloa fusca and Atriplex rhogodoidaes.

Bacteria from the rhizosphere of Leptochloa fusca (Lf) and Atriplex rhogodoidaes (Ar) were isolated at 0.5 M NaCl Plates. Apparently 20 different purified colonies from each plant species were picked and streaked on 0.8 M salt concentration. The survivors were subsequently streaked on 1 M salt concentration. Only 4 from Lf and 3 from Ar could manage to grow at 1 M concentration. Slight variation was observed in colonial morphology of these strains. Except for Lf-5b all strains were Gram-negative rods. U-5b was Gram-positive and pleiomorphic. Lf-5b and Ar-5b, were non-motile, while rest of the isolates were motile. Catalase and oxidase enzymes were present in Lf-2a, Lf-4a and Ar-5b while Lf-4b was positive for oxidase only. All but Lf-2b and Ar-5b could ferment glucose and mannitol. Slight variation in the 20 biochemical characters of these isolates was observed. According to Bergey's classification these isolates fall in four groups. Lf-2b and Ar-Sb belong to Gram-negative aerobic rods; Lf-4a, Lf-4b and Ar-Sa to Gram-negative facultative anaerobic rods; Ar-3b to Gram-negative anaerobic rods; and Lf-Sb to Gram-positive anaerobic bacteria.