Screening of Actinomycetes from Medicinal Plant Rhizosphere Soils for Industrial Enzymes and Antimicrobial Activity

This study aimed to investigate the production of some metabolites(i.e., antibiotics, amylases and cellulases) of terrestrial actinomycetes isolated from medicinal plant rhizosphere soils. Initially, the soil samples were collected from Camellia sinensis(L) Okuntze., Peuraria mirifica Airy Shaw Suvatabandhua., Ananus comosus Merr., Elephantopus scaber Linn., Orthosiphon grandiflorus Bolding., Jatropha multifida Linn. and Senna siamea. To screen and isolate actinomycetes, the soil samples were pretreated by airdrying and subsequent heat incubation. The bacterial isolates exhibiting actinomycetes features were then randomly screened for their production of amylases, cellulases and antibiotics. It was found that 130 isolates(from 136) could produce amylases; 40(from 107) produced cellulases; and seven(from 45) exhibited antimicrobial activity. The data of this study were preliminary, and yet demonstrated a rich diversity of rhizo-actinomycetes from medicinal plants. Besides, these organisms could be an untapped source for discovering of biotechnologically useful metabolites.