Soil sampling Soil samples were collected from different niche habitats of Gwalior (Hostel zone of MITS, Cancer hospital territory, IIITM ground, forest areas of Sanjeevani nursery). Each collection was made from 10-15 cm depth of the soil profile. The samples were collected in tightly closed falcon tubes. The soil samples were air-dried for one week at RT, crushed in mortar and pestle to make fine particles, sieved and used for actinomycete isolation (Saadoun et al., 1999).