Novel antibiotics as inhibitors for the selective respiratory inhibition method of measuring fungal:bacterial ratios in soil

The use of the selective inhibition (SI) method for measuring fungal:bacterial ratios may be limited due to biocide selectivity and the overlap of antibiotic activity. This study evaluated novel pairs of antibiotics for their specificity in soils of different origins and their potential reduction in inhibition of non-target organisms. Four soils selected for this study were from a semi-arid shrub-steppe, a loblolly pine forest and two grassland sites (restored and farmed prairie plots). Three bactericides were tested: oxytetracycline hydrochloride, streptomycin sulphate, and bronopol. Three fungicides were tested: captan, ketoconazole, and nystatin. The inhibitor additivity ratio and fungal:bacterial ratios were calculated from control and treated soils where inhibition was measured as CO2 respiration reduction with biocides. We were able to minimize non-target inhibition by the antibiotics to