Neonicotinoid Interaction with a Selectively Enriched Soil Microbe

RM 218

Imidacloprid is a pesticide belonging to the neonicotinoid pesticide family. It is the slowest of the neonicotinoids to biodegrade under natural conditions without bacterial assistance. It has also been largely linked to honeybee colony collapse disorder (CCD). Very few bacterial species have been identified thus far as resistant to imidacloprid and even fewer have been identified as degraders of the pesticide. A soil microbe was selectively enriched for the ability to resist or potentially degrade an imidacloprid based commercial pesticide. Once abnormal ability to resist imidacloprid was established, growth experiments were conducted to define the specific ability of the bacteria to survive in an imidacloprid-rich environment. These included attempted growth with imidacloprid as a sole carbon or nitrogen source. Following growth studies, testing was conducted to determine if the bacteria was only resisting imidacloprid or if degradation was occurring. Genomic experiments were also undertaken to better identify the microbe.