EFFECTS OF BENZENEHEXACHLORIDE ON SOIL MICROORGANISMS: IV. BENZENEHEXACHLORIDE-RESISTANT BACTERIA FROM VIRGIN SOILS

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Abstract
The presence of benzenehexachloride in agar plates prepared for estimating the numbers of bacteria and actinomycetes in five virgin soils prevented the development of more than 90% of the bacteria normally appearing as colonies. The bacteria isolated from the treated plates were all Gram-negative short rods. The actinomycetes did not develop at the lowest dilution used, viz., 1:1000. Cultural studies were made of 473 BHC-resistant bacteria, and, for comparison, of 382 bacteria from the total microflora. The majority of the BHC-resistant bacteria from four of the soils produced acid from glucose, the majority from one of those soils reduced nitrate, and the majority from three were unable to hydrolyze starch. BHC prevented the hydrolysis of starch in plate cultures.