Molecular and phylogenic identifications of potential herbicide degrading microorganisms from contaminated farmland in Keffi, Nasarawa State, Nigeria

Background: Over the past years, the continuous use of herbicides has raised increasing concern mainly due to their massive pollution of the environment. To address this problem, the herbicide-degrading microorganism might be very promising. Method: In the present study, a total of twenty (20) soil samples were collected, bacteria and fungi were isolated from the soil and identified using standard microbiological and molecular studies. Results: The results revealed that a total of 2 bacterial (Enterobacter asburiae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) and 2 fungi (Aspergillus flavus and Fusarium redolens) strains were isolated from the soil samples collected from herbicide contaminated soil in Keffi, Nasarawa State, Nigeria. The E. asburiae and P. aeruginosa had 75.0%, and 100% occurrence while the fungi isolates including the A. flavus and F. redolens had 75.0%, and 100% occurrence respectively. The 16S rDNA and ITS1F analysis confirmed the identity of the bacteria and fungi genus. Phylogenetic analysis suggested the bacteria strains were closely related to Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain CIFRI DTSB1 and Enterobacter sp revealed a close relatedness with Enterobacter asburiae RD-DAROS-04 strain, whereas, the fungi strain revealed a closely relatedness of Fusarium redolens strainTIST190421511. Conclusion: In conclusion, the microbial strains including Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain CIFRI DTSB1, Entrobacter asburiae RD-DAROS-04, and Fusarium redolens strainTIST190421511 were the major microbial habitant of pesticide-contaminated farmland in Keffi, and thus represent the herbicide degrading microorganism in this region. Further studies on the herbicide degrading properties of these microbial strains are underway.