The influence of SHF radiation on soil streptomycetes

Streptomycete cultures isolated from chernozem, soddy-podzolic, and low-moor peat soils were used in the experiment. The spore suspensions responded to SHF radiation (superhigh frequency radiation) at a shorter (30 s) exposition than the suspensions of vegetative streptomycete cells (60 s) did. The SHF radiation affected all the streptomycetes investigated. Both the suppression and stimulation of the respiration intensity, as well as a higher biomass accumulation and a resonance effect, were observed for different species of streptomycetes under the influence of microwaves. The effect of the SHF radiation on the biomass accumulation and the intensity of the other physiological processes may lead to the changes in the number of streptomycetes and their activity in the microbial complex of the soils. The changes in the capability of the streptomycetes concerning the assimilation of substrates under the influence of SHF radiation were revealed using multisubstrate testing.