article · Journal of Agriculture and Ecology Research International
Agricultural soils face degradation from agro-chemical use, prompting interest in microbial inoculants as green alternatives for sustainable farming. However, the presence of antibiotic resistance in prospective inoculants presents serious environmental and public health risks. An assessment of farm soil from Onuebum Community in Bayelsa State detected elevated organochlorine pesticide residues alongside low nutrient levels. Screening of bacterial isolates from this soil yielded one phosphate-solubilising strain, identified as Burkholderia cepacia through genetic sequencing. Evaluation of the isolate revealed multi-antibiotic resistance across cephalosporins, macrolides, aminoglycosides, and a beta-lactam combination agent, reflected in a multiple antibiotic resistance index of 0.6. Polymerase chain reaction confirmed the presence of erm and blaTEM resistance genes. While Burkholderia cepacia demonstrates useful biofertiliser capability through phosphate solubilisation, its resistance profile presents ecological hazards that necessitate comprehensive safety evaluations before soil microbes are deployed as agricultural inoculants.
Microbial inoculants offer a sustainable route to boost crop nutrition and replace harmful agro-chemicals. However, using bacteria that carry multi-antibiotic resistance genes risks spreading drug resistance across agricultural ecosystems and the wider food supply. This research highlights the urgent need to screen candidate biofertilisers for both agricultural utility and ecological safety before introducing them to farm soils.
The findings address developers of microbial biofertilisers and agricultural inoculants seeking sustainable soil enhancement products. Although the identified Burkholderia cepacia possesses functional phosphate-solubilising properties, the research remains at an early laboratory stage. Commercial deployment is constrained by the strain's resistance to multiple antibiotics. Further research and stringent eco-safety profiling are required before such bacterial candidates can be safely developed into commercial biofertiliser formulations.
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The challenges of food insecurity and soil degradation posed by the use of agro-chemicals have led to the search for green strategies (microbial inoculants) to ensure sustainable agriculture. However, it has been reported that certain microorganisms with the potential for use as microbial inoculants express antibiotic resistance which presents safety implications for environmental and public health if these microorganisms are employed as inoculants. This study evaluated the antibiotic resistance profile of a phosphate-solubilizing bacterium recovered from a farm soil. Composite soil samples were collected from farmland at Onuebum Community, Bayelsa State. The samples were analysed for pesticide residues and physico-chemical properties using standard methods. Isolation and screening of bacterial isolates for phosphate solubilization potential were performed following standard microbiological techniques. Out of six (6) isolates recovered, only one bacterium was positive for phosphate solubilization. The bacterium was evaluated for antibiotic resistance using Kirby Bauer disc diffusion method, and was further identified via 16S rRNA sequencing. Detection of antibiotic resistance genes was performed via polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Results revealed that the soil had an organochlorine pesticide residue [Heptachlor epoxide (4.08 µg/kg)] above the maximum residue limit (0.6 µg/kg). Soil pH, nitrate, and phosphate were 4.10, 1.46 mg/kg and 0.82 mg/kg, respectively. The bacterium was identified as Burkholderia cepacia. B. cepacia expressed multi-antibiotic resistance (MAR) to cephalosporins, macrolides, aminoglycosides, and a β-lactam combination agent, with a MAR index of 0.6. PCR confirmed the presence of erm and blaTEM genes in Burkholderia cepacia, providing genetic evidence for its resistance to macrolides and cephalosporins. These findings suggest that while Burkholderia cepacia has potential as a biofertilizer due to its phosphate-solubilizing ability, its MAR raises ecological safety concerns regarding its use as an inoculant. Therefore, further research involving the exploration of plant growth-promoting traits in soil microorganisms and eco-safety assessments is recommended to determine their suitability for application as inoculants in agriculture.
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DOI: 10.9734/jaeri/2026/v27i5804
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