Role microbial diversity on the pesticides degradation in agricultural soils

• Grant number: 18/02443-0
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: December 01, 2018
• End date: November 30, 2021
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Agronomy - Soil Science
• Principal Investigator: Jussara Borges Regitano
• Grantee: Jussara Borges Regitano
• Host Institution: Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz (ESALQ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Piracicaba , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Fernando Dini Andreote

Abstract

The soil microbial diversity acts in processes essential for the maintenance and functioning of the ecosystem. For global ecosystem functions, such as organic matter decomposition, nutrient cycling and assimilation of different carbon sources, the role of microbial diversity has been well studied. However, the same effect on the more specific functions (pesticide degradation), which are driven by microbial groups that have a lower degree of functional redundancy, remains unclear. In addition, the biodegradation of pesticides is conventionally evaluated by the ability of microbial isolates capable of degrading the target compound in vitro, although this approach is limited only to the arable fraction of the microorganisms. Being lacking the approaches that consider the effect of the microbial community of the soil in its entirety on the biodegradation process xenobiotic molecules in the environment. Therefore, knowledge of the effect of microbial diversity on the biodegradation of this type of substance can provide subsidies to mitigate its impact on the environment, as well as making its use safer. In this context, the effect of loss of microbial diversity on the rate of biodegradation of atrazine, glyphosate and sulfadiazine will be studied through the artificial modification of microbial diversity of adapted and non-adapted soils. Biodegradation will be monitored by the radiorespirometry technique (14C-CO2) and the microbial community will be monitored by sequencing the 16S rRNA gene. Subsequently, genes associated with the pathways of degradation of each of the molecules will be searched in the microbial community. The results obtained will have a valuable scientific contribution, serving as a subsidy for other researches, besides helping in the selection of strategies to mitigate adverse effects resulting from the use of this substance type. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

MARTINS, GUILHERME LUCIO; DE SOUZA, ADIJAILTON JOSE; OSTI, JULIO FLAVIO; GONTIJO, JULIA BRANDA; CHERUBIN, MAURICIO ROBERTO; VIANA, DOUGLAS GOMES; RODRIGUES, MAYRA MANIERO; TORNISIELO, VALDEMAR LUIZ; REGITANO, JUSSARA BORGES. The role of land use, management, and microbial diversity depletion on glyphosate biodegradation in tropical soils. Environmental Research, v. 231, p. 11-pg., 2023-05-18. (18/02443-0)

DE SOUZA, ADIJAILTON JOSE; PEREIRA, ARTHUR PRUDENCIO DE ARAUJO; PEDRINHO, ALEXANDRE; ANDREOTE, FERNANDO DINI; TORNISIELO, VALDEMAR LUIZ; TIZIOTO, POLYANA CRISTIANE; COUTINHO, LUIZ LEHMANN; REGITANO, JUSSARA BORGES. Land use and roles of soil bacterial community in the dissipation of atrazine. Science of The Total Environment, v. 827, p. 12-pg., 2022-03-05. (18/02443-0)