Ensiffer SP.CNN3 – An indigenous bacterial strain in Viet Nam has properties of plant growth promotion and organophosphorus degradation

Abstract

Organophosphorus pesticides (OPPs) comprise the most effective and widely used insecticides in agriculture worldwide and in Viet Nam. However, the overuse of OPPs may result in severe health and environmental problems, such as the accumulation in food and underground water, leading to DNA mutations in living organisms, OPP poisoning in human and alteration in terrestrial and aquatic living communities. In recent years, the biodegradation of OPPs by microorganisms have gained attentions from scientists for bioremediation of organophosphorus residues. In this study, an indigenous effective OPP-degrading bacterial strain has been isolated from soil samples of contaminated tea farming site in Northern Viet Nam with chlorpyrifos degradability and plant growth promoting characteristics. The bacterial isolate was determined to belong to genus Ensifer (syn. Sinorhizobium), exhibiting remarkable chlorpyrifos degradability in liquid culture and in test soil with 94.75 % and 76.27 % of substrate removal after 14 days of inoculation, respectively. Besides, Ensifer sp. CNN3 appeared as a promising growth promoting bacteria with IAA excretion and phosphate solubilizing properties. The results open a prospect of applying the dual-effective bacterial strain in agreulture practices either to reduce the usc of chemical fertilizer or to remediate OPP contaminated soils.