Abstract

All the 15 isolates of Pectobacterium chrysanthemi survived up to 37 0 C and the thermal death point was 38 0 C. The optimum range of pH for the growth of the isolates was 7.0–7.5.Although all the isolates showed good growth in many carbon sources, salicin supported the maximum growth while ribose was the least favourable. These isolates showed no differences in all the biochemical tests. All the 15 isolates of P. chrysanthemi gave positive result to utilization of citrate, nitrate reductase test, catalase test, Oxidation-Fermentation test (O- F test), Gelatin liquefaction, casein hydrolysis, anaerobic growth and sensitively to erythromycin while these showed negative reaction to indole production test, starch hydrolysis, H 2 S production, oxidase test methyl red and Voges Proskauer test and arginine dihydrolase reaction.

Keywords: Aloe vera, pectobacterium chrysanthemi, physiological and biochemical variation.