ISOLATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF GLYPHOSATE DEGRADING BACTERIA FOR RHIZOREMEDIATION STRATEGIES

MASSOT F.; OSTERA J.M.; VAZQUEZ S.; BAILLERES M.; GIULIETTI A.M.; MERINI L.

Congreso; - SAIB - 51th Annual Meeting Argentine Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology; 2015

The Humid Pampa is the main agricultural region in Argentina and one of the most important crop fields in South America, covering about 52 million ha. As part of the modern agriculture practices, more than 300,000 tons of pesticides are applied every year, were about 65% are formulations of the herbicide glyphosate (N?phosphonomethylglicine). To develop an efficient, eco?friendly, solar driven system to mitigate the environmental impact of glyphosate use in the agricultural exploitation context is a priority strategy. To achieve this goal, the aim of this work is to find and characterize glyphosate degrading bacteria associated to Lotus spp. roots. This plant?bacteria system will be use to enhance the glyphosate degradation in the rhizosphere influence zone and reduce its residues in soils and running off waters. To carry out this objective, bulk and Lotus rhizospheric soil samples were collected from both, glyphosate treated and control pasture plots. Batch liquid cultures were performed using basal salt media enrichment with glyphosate as sole carbon or phosphorus source respectively. Among isolates, two glyphosate?degrading strains were selected and culturally/genotipically characterized. Glyphosate degradation in culture media was determined by FMOC?Cl derivatization followed by UPLC. In addition, plant growth promotion capabilities were also determined for both strains.