Actinomycetes have garnered attention in recent decades for their antimicrobial properties and potential as substitutes for chemical pesticides and fertilizers. These microorganisms address the urgent need for new drugs due to the increasing resistance of pathogens to existing treatments. This study focuses on the isolation, identification, and evaluation of the antimicrobial properties of actinomycetes from paddy fields and rice plants. Actinomycetes were tested against seven pathogenic bacteria: drug-resistant and sensitive strains of Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Acinetobacter baumannii. Antibiotic activity was detected in seven isolates using the agar well diffusion method. All seven isolates (100%) inhibited drugsensitive Staphylococcus aureus, while four isolates (57.1%) were active against drugsensitive Pseudomonas aeruginosa, three isolates (42.9%) against Klebsiella pneumoniae, and one isolate (14.3%) each against drug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa and drugresistant Staphylococcus aureus. Molecular screening using PCR revealed the presence of non-ribosomal peptide synthetases (NRPS) (100%), polyketide synthase type I (PKS-I) (21.6%), and type II (PKS-II) (83.8%) genes in the isolated actinomycetes. Among the 37 actinomycete isolates, 12 (32.4%) were from the soil, and 25 (67.6%) were from rice plants. The study also categorized the isolates based on different rice plant varieties, with Tarom Pakootah contributing the most (64%) to the actinomycete population. This study highlights the role of actinomycetes in combating antibiotic resistance and their potential in agricultural biotechnology. Their production of valuable bioactive compounds, like polyketides and non-ribosomal peptides, makes them important for pharmaceutical and agro-industrial uses. Further studies should focus on optimizing cultivation and assessing commercial viability.
