Ant-Nest Actinobacteria from Darjeeling Himalayan Forest Floor:Exploration and Management

Actinobacteria were isolated from the integument of ant nest soil which seem to play a crucial role in maintaining extraordinary rich and protected environment of the nest. Soil samples were collected from twenty different ant nests of Nagri, Dhajea and Soureni of western part of Darjeeling Himalayan forest areas.The nest soils were of neutral range pH, with high moisture content and appeared as chemically rich in organic carbon, increased available nitrogen and soluble phosphorus. About 10-30% of total microbial population in nest soils was antibiotic synthesizing actinobacteria and appeared as unique and ant-specific. These actinobacteria were efficient to degrade cellulose (77%), starch (33%) and to solubilize tricalcium phosphate (86%) when grown on carboxy methyl cellulose agar, starch agar and Pikovskaya's agar media, respectively. An assumption was made on the basis of observations, that the actinobacteria were absent in the respective non nest soil samples (1m apart from the particular nest location). Hence, the results obtained are promising and nest soil as rich nutrient supplement and the organisms as soil inoculants can be utilized to improve the quality of crop fields of Darjeeling Himalaya.