DIVERSITY AND ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITIES OF ACTINOMYCETES ISOLATED FROM SOIL SAMPLES OF KODAGU, KARNATAKA STATE (INDIA)

In this study, a total of 158 actinomycetes isolated from 15 soil samples of Kodagu district (Karnataka state) were screened for antimicrobial activities against Gram-positive, Gram-negative bacteria and fungi. A total of 138 (87.34%) isolates showed antimicrobial activity against one or more test organisms. Based on the results of preliminary screening, 65(47%) isolates showed noticeable antimicrobial activities against test organisms and were selected and identified based on morphological, biochemical and chemotaxonomic characteristics. The potential antibiotic producing actinomycetes identified as Micromonospora spp. (26), Streptomyces spp. (11); Nocardia spp. (9); Actinomadura spp. (7); Rhodococcus spp. (6); Nocardiopsis spp. (4) and Saccharomonospora spp. (2) respectively. This study highlights the occurrence of potential actinomycetes in underexplored habitats of Kodagu region.