Rhizosphere Streptomyces species from major crop plants of shifting cultivation, northeast India

In the present study, the main objectives were isolation of actinomycetes from the rhizosphere of crops under jhum cultivation and determination of physico chemical properties of rhizopsheric soil. Rhizosphere soil was collected from the major crop plants like rice, maizebean and yam from Lengpui and Reiek of Mizoram, Northeast India.Actinomycetes were isolated by the standard method of serial dilution and identified by following the keys of Bergey's Manual of Determinative Bacteriology and further isolates were tested for salt-tolerant activities. Physico chemical properties of rhizospheric soil of major crop plants were analysed. Total 32 rhizospheric actinomycetes were obtained and identified them upto genus level as Streptomyces species. Strain SKT12, SKT33 and SKT40 isolated from maize and yam showed different ranges of salt-tolerance activity. Strain SKT34 which isolated from crop rice showed casein hydrolysis activity. The physico chemical analysis of soil revealed variations of soil properties between the crops. Major crops of Mizoram under shifting cultivation have great potential to influence of soil properties and soil actinomycetes particularlyStreptomyces species.