Table 2.

Phenotypic characteristics of representative Gram-positive rhizospheric-LAB isolates.

	E. faecium	E. durans	E. hirae	E. faecalis	Lb. sakei	Lb. plantarum	Pc. acidilactici	Pc. pentosaceus	Lc. lactis	Lc. garvieae	W. halotolerans	W. paramesenteroides	W. confuse	Ln.mesenteroides
ITS types	A, B, C	D	E	F	G	H	I	J	K	L	M	N	O	P
Number of strains	64	06	07	03	04	03	01	07	03	03	02	03	12	01
Shape	cocci	cocci	cocci	cocci	rods	rods	cocci	cocci	cocci	cocci	coccobacilli	coccobacilli	coccobacilli	cocci
Fermentation type	Homo	Homo	Homo	Homo	Homo	Homo	Homo	Homo	Homo	Homo	Hetero	Hetero	Hetero	Hetero
Catalase	−	−	−	−	−	−	−	−	−	−	−	−	−	−
Growth at pH
4	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+
9.6	+	+	+	+	+	+	−	−	−	−	+	+	+	+
Growth in NaCl
3%	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+
6.5%	+	+(03)	+(04)	+(02)	+(03)	+	+	+(06)	+(03)	+	+	+	+	+
8%	+(42)*	+(03)	+(01)	+(01)	+(03)	+	+	+(04)	+(02)	+(01)	+	+	+	+
9%	+(02)	−	−	−	+(01)	−	−	−	+(01)	−	+(01)	−	+(05)	−
Growth at temperature
10°C	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+
45°C	+	+	+	+	−	+	+	+	−	−	−	−	−	−
EPS production	+(28)	−	−	−	−	+	+	−	+(02)	+(02)	−	+(02)	+	+
Proteolytic activity	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+

(x): number of strains; +: positive; −: negative; Homo: homofermentative; Hetero: heterofermentative.