An effective method is described for selectively isolating the actinomycete genusActinobispora.Gellan gum plus calcium chloride significantly stimulated aerial mycelium formation ofActinobispora yunnanensisIFO 15681 so that this genus was readily recognized on the isolation plate. A new medium, HVG, containing calcium chloride and gellan gum as a solidifying agent was thus developed based on humic acid - vitamin agar. A number ofActinobisporastrains were successfully isolated on this medium from 14 soil samples, which were collected in Canada, France, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States. To our knowledge, this is the first isolation ofActinobisporastrains from locations other than China.Key words:Actinobispora, gellan gum, selective isolation, actinomycete.