Compost Teas: 24 hour, EM, IM, BD & fermented plant extracts

[Steve Diver <steved AT ncat.org>]

The microbial inoculant known as EM (Effective Microorganisms)
contains lactic acid bacteria, yeasts, and phototrophic bacteria.

This leads to curiosity about the the occurrence and function
of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) in native soils. 

Here is a recent paper (March 2005) on LABs in soils of
Japan and Taiwan.

Interestingly, they took soil samples from the rhizosphere
of fruit trees, the floor of a henhouse, and around a horse
barn.

They used two isolation procedures. 

Direct spreading.  Soil samples were diluted in NaCl
and spread on an agar medium, then incubated under
anaerobic conditions at 30-C for 2-3 days.

Accumulation.  Soil samples were first added to
a microbial culture broth and incubated at 30-C
for 2-3 days, then spread on an agar medium as
above and incubated for 2-3 days.


Regards,

Steve Diver
http://www.attra.ncat.org


+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Isolation and identification of lactic acid bacteria from soil
using an enrichment procedure

Letters in Applied Microbiology
Volume 40 Issue 3  Page 195-205 (March 2005)
http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1472-765X.2005.01653.x

Y.-S. Chen, F. Yanagida and T. Shinohara

Institute of Enology and Viticulture, Yamanashi University,
Kitashin, Kofu, Yamanashi, Japan


Abstract

Aims: To survey, and identify and classify the ecological
distribution of lactic acid bacteria from soil in Japan and
Taiwan.

Methods and Results: Acid-producing bacteria were isolated
from 68 soil samples, collected from Japan and Taiwan, in
the rhizospheres of fruit trees, from the floor of a henhouse
and around a horse farm. All isolates were identified by
physiological and genetic tests. Thirty-two of the 54 isolates
were identified as lactic acid bacteria (LAB), 16 as
spore-forming lactic acid bacteria, five as Clostridium and
one as Bacillus. These lactic acid bacteria represent five
genera: Lactobacillus, Lactococcus, Enterococcus,
Leuconostoc and Weissella.

Conclusions: A high rate of isolating lactic acid bacteria
was obtained from soil.

Significance and Impact of the Study: This study suggests
that soil may be a common source for the isolation of lactic
acid bacteria.


Excerpt:


Sixty eight soil samples were collected from Taiwan
and Japan, mainly in the rhizospheres of fruit trees,
the floor of a henhouse and around a horse farm.

In Japan, a total of 44 soil samples were collected from
the rhizospheres of vines, mulberry trees, pines and
the floor of a henhouse.

In Taiwan, 24 soil samples were collected in the
rhizospheres of mulberry trees, litchi trees, mango trees,
banana trees, papaya trees, guava trees, starfruit trees,
peach trees, vines, sugar apple trees, longan trees,
pomelo trees, kumquat trees and around a horse farm.


+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++