SCREENING OF PGPR TRAITS AND MONOCROTOPHOS PESTICIDE DEGRADATION PROPERTIES OF ACTINOBACTERIAL ISOLATES

Bioremediation of organic compounds and heavy metals has been recognized to be a successful and effective technique in rhizoremediation of soil toxicity using the beneficial microbes which produce different metabolites and enzymes to degrade the toxic compounds/ pesticides available in the soil. In the present study, actinobacterial isolates were explored and identified for bioremediation of soil toxicity available in the soil. The actinobacterial isolates were utilized for the promising PGPR traits and ability to degrade the monocrotophos pesticide residues available in the soil. The “opd” gene of interest responsible for monocrotophos pesticide degradation trait was isolated and cloned in vector DNA to produce recombinant DNA. The recombinant DNA was transformed in E. coli cells to produce multiple copies in E. coli cells resulting in recombinant (transformed) and non-recombinant (non-transformed) colonies. The transformed E. coli cells were inoculated in nutrient broth having pesticide concentration. The transformed cells degraded the pesticide, and the HPLC method determined the derivatives produced. The formulations based on actinobacterial isolates were tested, and field applications were done to determine the reduced soil toxicity, if any, observed.