SPORE-BEARING LACTIC ACID BACTERIA ISOLATED FROM RHIZOSPHERE

Abstract

Six strains of spore-bearing lactic acid bacteria were isolated from the rhizosphere of various wild plants. The isolates are mesophilic, facultatively aerobic and catalase-positive rods with peritrichous flagella and an oval endospore at the terminal end. The characteristic features are as follows: the pH value of the glucose, fructose, sucrose and generally inulin broth is brought to 3.8-3.2 with lactic acid produced homo-fermentatively. These isolates were classified into the following new species based on the isomeric types of lactic acid produced: B. laevolacticus nov. sp. for 5 strains of the l-rotatory lactic acid producers, and B. racemilacticus nov. sp. for the 2 strains of the dl-lactic acid producers.