Bioasis

Understanding the 5 Bacillus Bacteria in Bactivate

B.subtiis is known for its capacity to multiply quickly in the soil. It also shares an ability
common to the other bacteria in Bactivate in that they have the ability to form a tough,
protective endospore, allowing the organisms to tolerate extreme environmental
conditions.
It has a strong capacity to produce proteinase, diastase and pectase. It is the major
Bacillus that decomposes animal and plant remains into available nitrogen in the soil.
These bacteria live within specialized nodules on the root systems of plants, where they
process atmospheric nitrogen into a form available for the plants to use.
Thus B. subtilis frees up soil nutrients in both soil and air for plant use.
B.subtilis is known to be antagonistic toward many fungal plant pathogens. There is
evidence of the existence of this antagonism through (1) nutrient competition, (2) site
exclusion, and (3) colonization, and attachment of the bacteria to the fungal pathogen. In
addition, there is proof that B.subtilis can induce plants natural systemic resistance or
systemic acquired resistance against pathogens.

B.megatherium and B.mucilaginosus, are capable of mobilising phosphate and
potassium from the soil minerals, as well as importantly fixing nitrogen. Bacillus
megatherium is regarded as a ʻphosphorus solubiliserʼ microbe. These bacteria produce
organic acids, and enzymes that solubilise non-available phosphates into available forms
of phosphorous for the plant, thereby improving its nutrition. B. mucilaginous is regarded
as a ʻpotassium decomposingʼ bacteria with the ability to produce organic acids that
degrade the potassium minerals present in soil such as silicates, apatites and
phosphorites and release available forms of potassium. B.mucilaginous also
produces exopolysaccahrides, which may act as sorbents of heavy metal ions (Nyanikova
et al. 2001).
The incorporation of Bactivate containing the two microbes (Bacillus megatherium and
Bacillus mucilaginous) can facilitate a quick-acting phosphate and potassium in soils and
make phosphorus and potassium available to the plants.

Bacillus Licheniformis

B.licheniformis, has extensive colonization and competitive abilities in soil, and plays a
key role in plant growth and performance.
Research has shown (Lucas Garcia et al. 2004) that B.licheniformis can significantly
increase the height and leaf area of pepper and tomato plants under seedbed and
greenhouse production conditions. The number and diameter of tomato fruits increased
when tomato seedlings grew in sand inoculated with this bacteria. In addition, plants
inoculated with B.licheniformis showed less disease than non-treated plants. Whatʼs
more, the total weight of pepper harvested from inoculated soil increased significantly in
comparison with non-inoculated control plants.

B.thuringiensis is also natural ubiquitous bacterium, easily found in nature. It produces
crystalline proteins, which are toxic by ingestion for a specific group of insects such as
endoparasitic nematodes and ectoparasitic arthropods, found in sheep and cattle
(Pinnock, 1994). When insects ingest the toxin crystals, the alkaline pH of their digestive
tract causes the toxin to become activated. It becomes inserted into the insectʼs gut
cell membranes forming a pore resulting in swelling, cell lysis and eventually killing
the insect.