1Division of Agricultural Chemicals, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi 110 012
2Department of Biotechnology, Institute of Life Sciences, Nalco Square, Bhubaneswar 751 023, Orissa, India
*Corresponding author E-mail: madhubangopal@gmail.com
Online published on 21 May, 2012.
An aerobic bacterium capable of degrading imidacloprid and metribuzin was isolated from agriculture field soil by enrichment culture. The 16S rRNA gene sequence of the isolate (strain CH9) had 99% identity to the sequence from Burkholderia cepacia. Experiments were conducted to assess the ability of Burkholderia cepacia (strain CH9) to degrade imidacloprid and metribuzin. Inoculation of bacterium to a mineral-salts medium supplemented with 50 μg/ml of imidacloprid or metribuzin resulted in 69% degradation of imidacloprid and 86% degradation of metribuzin within 20 days. These data suggest that Burkholderia cepacia (strain CH9) may be potential candidate for biodegradation of these pesticides.
Burkholderia cepacia, imidacloprid, metribuzin, degradation
