RANA, NIRJAMEENAKSHI2016-12-262016-12-26201548381http://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/92949ABSTRACT Colors are one of the significant visual properties and are important attribute of any article. Many artificial food colors usually used in foodstuff, dyestuff, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals pose various hazardous effects which may cause damage to the vital organs. Natural colors are generally extracted from fruits, vegetables, roots and microorganisms and are often called as biocolor. Microorganisms serve as a potential source for natural colors. The present investigations entitled “Biocolor production from bacteria inhabiting hot water springs of Himachal Pradesh” was carried in the Deaprtment of Basic Sciences, Dr Y.S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry Nauni - Solan (HP) during the years 2013- 2015. The study was carried out to isolate the pigment producing bacteria from different hot water springs of Himachal Pradesh. Subsequently, their screening and characterization was done on the basis of morphological, biochemical and molecular parameters. Out of 44 bacterial isolates 3 bacterial isolates viz., M1, V1 and MS2 were identified as yellow color producing Micrococcus sp, pink colour producing Miccrococcus sp. (roseus) and orange red color producing Sarcina sp. respectively. The higher yields of biocolors from these three isolates was obtained in LB medium after 72 hrs of incubation at pH 7.0 and 40 o C temperature. Among different carbon sources glucose (0.5%) M1 and maltose (0.5% and 1%) V1 and MS2 were found to be the best. Among different nitrogen sources, peptone (0.5%) for M1, urea (0.1% ) for V1 and potassium nitrate (0.5%) for MS2 were found to be the most suitable for maximum pigment production. Thin layer chromatography of the pigments showed the presence of 2 spots for each pigment. The yellow pigment of M1 showed Rf values of two spots were 0.90 and 0.91 typical to that of -carotene. The two spot of orange pigment of MS2 isolate gave the Rf values 0.80 and 0.83 which was identified as prodigiosin. The third isolate producing peach colored pigment exhibited Rf values of 0.75 and 0.18 which were identified as tourulene and torularhodin. The bacterial isolates namely, M1(yellow) and MS2 (orange red) yielded stable colors out of 3 selected bacterial isolates. These two bioclors can be used for dyeing of cotton fabrics with thiourea as mordant. Thus, potential of biocolor from bacteria inhabiting hot water springs of Himachal Pradesh can be exploited in dyeing industrieenThesis