Vol. 7, Issue 1, Part B (2025)

The objective of this study is to isolate and evaluate soil samples from the Rajgarh district in Madhya Pradesh, focusing on the morphological and biochemical characteristics of various isolates of Crotalaria pallida. Following an incubation period of three to five days on YEMA plates, the isolates derived from Crotalaria pallida exhibited the formation of white colonies, measuring between one to three millimeters in diameter. The colonies exhibited a rounded shape, were elevated, and generated a considerable quantity of mucus. Out of the 32 isolates analyzed, five exhibited gram-positive staining, while 27 displayed gram-negative staining. The majority of the isolates displayed rod-shaped morphology, with the exception of four isolates that exhibited coccus-shaped characteristics. On YEMA-Cr plates, the isolates typically exhibited white colonies; however, two isolates absorbed the Congo red dye, leading to the formation of red colonies. The results of the ketolactose test revealed that five of the isolates were capable of producing the ketolactose enzyme.