SOIL BIOLOGY

SOIL
ACTINOMYCETES

Department of Soil
Science
 INTRODUCTION

The term Actinomycetes is used to indicate

organisms belonging to the Actinomycetales ,
an order of the Actinobacteria , the phylum that
comprises all organisms with one prokaryotic
SCIENTIFIC cell.
CLASSIFICATION Sometimes the name Actinomycetes is used
restrictively for the members of the genus
Domain-Bacteria Actinomyces only.
Phylum-
Actinobacteria Actinomycetes are the organisms with
Order- characteristics common to both bacteria and
Actinomycetales
fungi but yet possessing distinctive features to
delimit them into a distinct category.
Actinomycetes resemble fungi

# Actinomycetes were first regarded as a

fungus.
# The group was earlier called “ray fungi” .
# Actino means ray in Greek and mycete means
mushroom .
# Actinomycetes produce hyphae
(0.5-1micrometer).
# Mycelium is non-septate (coenocytic).
Actinomycetes
resemble fungi

Actinomycetes in
composting
 According to Alexander’s opinion (1961) :
a. the mycelium of the higher actinomycetes has the extensive
branching characteristics of the mould.
b. like the fungi many actinomycetes form an aerial mycelium as
well as conidia.
c. the growth of actinomycetes in liquid culture rarely result in
the turbidity associated with unicellular bacteria rather it occurs
in distinct clumps or pellets and
d. the growth rate of at least some strains is unrestricted and is
not exponential as is the case with bacteria but cubic ,a
characteristics in common with many of the fungi.
 Click icon to add picture

aerial
mycelium
with chains of
conidiospores
  Actinomycetes are-
prokaryotic.
unicellular.
about the same size in cross section.
contain peptidoglycan in their cell wall.
sensitive to lysozyme degrading the polysaccharide
backbone of the peptidoglycan in their cell wall.
sensitive to antibacterial but not antifungal
antibiotics.
Actinomycetes resemble bacteria
 possess flagella.
possess nucleoids.
Characteristics of fungal cell wall are not
found.
So, we can say that-
Actinomycetes look more like fungi but
their inner structure is bacterial.
Actinomycetes
 Occurance of Actinomycetes

most abundant in surface soil.

composts, river beds, river muds are other places rich in

this group.

compose 10-50% of the total microbial population in soil.

poorly tolerant of soil acidity.

 Occurance… …

the most conducive range of pH is between 6.5 & 8.0.

waterlogging of soil is unfavorable for the

growth, whereas desert soil of arid & semi-arid
zones sustain sizeable populations .
[ due to the resistance of spores to desiccation.]
 Occurance… …

Actinomycetes, particularly Streptomyces are high salt

tolerant. So, species of this genus occur frequently in
saline soil & sea water.

A high population of this genus is also widely reported

from cultivated fields which are better aerated than
non-cultivated soils.
 Populations

1.second in abundance to bacteria

in soil.
2.range from about 1,00,000 to
10,00,00000 propagules per gram
of soil.
3. higher in pastures than in
cultivated soils.
4.higher in cultivated soils than in
fallow soils.
5.population depends on the
available decomposable organic
matter.
6.deeper in soil, the population
declines less than does the
population of other microbes.
 Functions of Actinomycetes

●
Organic matter
●
Recalcitrant (hard to decompose) compounds
●
Resistant material - Humus
Function… …
RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SWEET EARTHY
SMELL IN TILLED SOIL.
CAUSES DISEASE IN PLANT ( ACT AS PLANT
PATHOGENS).
POTATO SCAB, CAUSED BY
Streptomyces scabies.
Functions… …
N ITROGEN FIXATION.

C APABLE OF SYNTHESIZING
ANTIBIOTICS.

P LAY IMPORTANT ROLE IN

MICROBIAL EQUILIBRIUM.
Nine phase contrast
micrographs of
actinomycetes . Actinomycetes colony
THE END