~ 1842 ~ Journal of Entomology and Zoology Studies 2018; 6(4): 1842-1848 E-ISSN: 2320-7078 P-ISSN: 2349-6800 JEZS 2018; 6(4): 1842-1848 © 2018 JEZS Received: 21-05-2018 Accepted: 22-06-2018 Chirom Archana Division of Aquaculture, ICAR- Central Institute of Fisheries Education, Versova, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India Neelam Saharan Aquatic Environment and Health Management Division, ICAR-Central Institute of Fisheries Education, Versova, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India Gaurav Rathore (1). Aquatic Environment and Health Management Division, ICAR-Central Institute of Fisheries Education, Versova, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India (2). Fish Health Management, ICAR-National Bureau of Fish Genetic Resources, Lucknow, India PP Srivastava Fish Nutrition biochemistry and Physiology Division, ICAR- Central Institute of Fisheries Education, Versova, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India Babitha Rani Division of Aquaculture, ICAR- Central Institute of Fisheries Education, Versova, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India PK Pandey (1). Aquatic Environment and Health Management Division, ICAR-Central Institute of Fisheries Education, Versova, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India (2). Dean, College of Fisheries, Lembucherra, Tripura, India Correspondence Chirom Archana Division of Aquaculture, ICAR- Central Institute of Fisheries Education, Versova, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India Isolation and characterization of potential pendimethalin degrading bacteria from pesticides polluted soil Chirom Archana, Neelam Saharan, Gaurav Rathore, PP Srivastava, Babitha Rani and PK Pandey Abstract The aim of this study was to isolate the bacteria capable of degrading pendimethalin herbicide in mineral salt medium from pesticides polluted soil. The present study was conducted in Aquatic Environment and Health Management Division, ICAR-Central Institute of Fisheries Education, Versova, Mumbai, India in the month of August 2015. A pendimethalin degrading bacterial isolates were isolated from contaminated soil samples through enrichment culture technique. The bacterial isolates were identified and characterized as Bacillus cereus and Asaccharospora irregularis based on biochemical characteristics and 16SrRNA sequence analysis. The growth of the isolates was assessed in mineral salt medium (MSM) containing 1 mg/l of pendimethalin. Both the bacterial isolates can grow up to 500 mg/l of pendimethalin concentration. Pendimethalin was incubated with each of the two isolated bacteria and samplings were done at 0, 7, 14, 21 and 28 days for gas chromatographic analysis in which the loss in the initial pendimethalin concentration was recorded over time. Out of the two bacterial isolates, Bacillus cereus was able to degrade the initial amount to 92 mg/l after an incubation period of 28 days and Asaccharospora irregularis degrades up to 78 mg/l after 28 days incubation. This study showed that degradation of pendimethalin occurred at a higher rate when bacterial isolates were incubated. Thus, the isolates, Bacillus cereus, and Asaccharospora irregularis could be effectively applied to remediate pendimethalin contaminated environment. Keywords: Biodegradation, pendimethalin, bacteria, pesticide contaminated soils Introduction Pendimethalin [N-(1-ethylpropyl)-3, 4-dimethyl-2, 6-dinitrobenzenamine] is a widely used synthetic herbicide used for the selective control of most annual grasses and broad-leaved weeds in a number of crop and non-crop areas and on residential lawns and ornamentals. This herbicide is applied as pre-emergence, pretransplant or early post-emergence herbicide for many crops including cereals, onions, garlic, maize, sorghum, rice, soybeans, peanuts, carrots, celery, peas, field beans, potatoes, cotton, citruses, lettuce, transplanted tomatoes and sunflower [1] . Pendimethalin inhibit plant cell division step which is responsible for chromosome separation and cell wall formation. It is used before crop emergence or planting [2] . The inhibition of root and shoot growth results in stunting of aerial plant portions [3] . U.S Environmental Protection Agency has classified pendimethalin as persistent bio-accumulative toxicant [4] . The chemicals also have the ability to bioaccumulate and biomagnify and can bioconcentrate up to 70,000 times their original concentrations [5] . It is of low volatility, mobility in the soil as well as water solubility [6] . It is strongly adsorbed by moist soil, practically insoluble in water and thus does not leach appreciably in moist soil [7] . It contains dinitroanilines, which could result in the formation of the carcinogenic nitrosamines [8] . Pendimethalin is also highly toxic to fish and aquatic invertebrates [9] . The use of pendimethalin may adversely affect endangered species of terrestrial and semi-aquatic plants and invertebrates [10] . While applying pendimethalin to the soil care should be taken so to minimize the possible injury to sensitive rotation crops. It is very much essential to develop methodologies to prevent pesticide contamination from point sources. Microorganisms can use a variety of xenobiotic compounds including pesticides for their growth, mineralize and detoxify them [11] . Abdelbagi et al. [12, 13] first argued the potential use of indigenous soil microorganisms in cleaning pesticides polluted soil and dump sites. The use of microbes in the bioremediation and detoxification of many toxic xenobiotics, especially toxic pesticide is an