title: Characterization of salt tolerant bacteria isolated from the rhizosphere of Leptochloa fusca and Atriplex rhogodoidaes.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Botany, University of Punjab, Lahore-20, Pakistan.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hasnain
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Taskeen