Screening Methods for the Detection of Antagonistic Actinobacteria: Facts and Problems

Screening is the highly selective procedures for the detection and isolation of only those
microorganisms of interest from among a large microbial population. Actinobacteria are the group of
bacteria with the greatest biomedical value especially antibiotic production. Detection of the
antagonistic property of actinobacteria is the pre-requisite for their exploitation for antibiotic
production. There are several methods described as well as in practice for the detection of
antagonistic actinobacteria. All the screening methods are broadly categorized into diffusion methods
(crowded plate, agar overlay, cross streak, cross spot, drop test, agar plug) and dilution (agar dilution,
broth dilution) methods. Some important methods commonly used for the detection of antagonistic
activity of actinobacteria and their advantages and limitations are described in this chapter.