Isolates N9A and Ba3 were Gramnegative
shot rods, with cell lengths less than
1 μm and they did not produce any
endospores. These facultative bacteria were
able to grow at pH 4.0 but not 11.0. Ba3
grew well at 45°C, while N9A could not.
Both isolates were non-motile and did not
produce oxidase enzyme, but catalase. They
successfully fermented fructose, galactose,
glucose, mannitol, rhamnose, sorbitol, sorbose
and sucrose. N9A could also ferment maltose
and raffinose. Both isolates were placed in
the family Enterobacteriaceae, in accordance with
the report of Weller (1998) about the ability
of these bacteria to inhibit growth of soil
borne pathogens