Microbial Communities and Antibiotic Resistance Genes in Agricultural Landscapes: An Indian Study
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.53555/jaz.v40i01.5310Keywords:
agriculture soil, microbial community, antibiotic resistance genes, environment microbiology, India.Abstract
Antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) have become an environmental and public health crisis in all parts of the world due to their emergence and spread in agricultural ecosystems. The soilwater interface in India, where intensive agricultural farming and the extensive use of antibiotics in livestock farming is prevalent, is a significant sink and a pathway of transmitting resistant microorganisms. The paper presents a research on the microbial community organization and ARGs profiles of agricultural soils and irrigation waters of the chosen farms, Maharashtra and Punjab. A varied microbial community comprising of Proteobacteria, Firmicutes and Actinobacteria, and large amounts of ARGs linked with both human and veterinary antibiotics, were identified using a combination of field sampling, physicochemical analysis, 16S rRNA gene sequencing and quantitative PCR of selected ARGs (tet, sul, bla, qnr). The comparative analysis showed that there was increased ARG abundance in the regions having increased manure and wastewater irrigation level. The findings indicate the significant interconnection between agricultural activities, microbial ecology, and distributing of resistance. Results highlight the importance of the policy intervention and sustainable practices in reducing the ARG proliferation in the Indian agricultural systems.
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Copyright (c) 2022 Supriyo Acharya, Dr. Shanta Adak
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