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ARS Home » Northeast Area » University Park, Pennsylvania » Pasture Systems & Watershed Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #370759
Research Project: Sustaining Agroecosystems and Water Resources in the Northeastern U.S.

Location: Pasture Systems & Watershed Management Research

Title: Aeromonas hydrophila, bacillus thuringiensis, escherichia coli and pseudomonas aeruginosa utilization of ammonium-N, nitrate-N and urea-N in culture

Author
item TAABODI, MARYAM - University Of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES)
item MAY, ERIC - University Of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES)
item Bryant, Ray
item Saporito, Louis - Lou
item SKEEN, OLIVIA - University Of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES)
item HASHEM, FAWZY - University Of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES)
item ALLEN, ARTHUR - University Of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES)

Submitted to: Heliyon
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/14/2020
Publication Date: 3/26/2020
Citation: Taabodi, M., May, E.B., Bryant, R.B., Saporito, L.S., Skeen, O., Hashem, F.M., Allen, A.L. 2020. Aeromonas hydrophila, bacillus thuringiensis, escherichia coli and pseudomonas aeruginosa utilization of ammonium-N, nitrate-N and urea-N in culture. Heliyon. 6:1-9.e03711. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2020.e03711.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2020.e03711

Interpretive Summary: Shifts in fertilizer nitrogen source and use of animal manures have changed the composition and abundance of bacteria in agricultural ditches. This change affects how nitrogen is being cycled and potentially determines the final forms of available nutrients. In particular, animal manures often have bacteria such as Escherichia coli present, increasing the abundance of this bacterial species in ditches. Research has shown that the effect of different nitrogen sources is to change bacterial community composition. How this influences the role of an individual bacterial species is poorly understood. Thus, we sought to determine how individual species would respond to different sources of nitrogen. We used cultures of Aeromonas hydrophila, Bacillus thuringiensis, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which are commonly present in agricultural ditches, and exposed them to different concentrations of nitrate, urea, and ammonium. The results showed A. hydrophila, E. coli, and P. aeruginosa have strong similarities, particularly with respect to nitrate-N and urea-N utilization. B. thuringiensis did not respond to nitrate, utilized urea, but produced ammonium.

Technical Abstract: Shifts in nitrogen source and use of animal manures have changed the bacterial composition both in species of bacteria and their abundance in agricultural ditches. This change affects how nitrogen is being cycled and potentially the final forms of available nutrients. In particular, animal manures often have bacteria such as Escherichia coli present, increasing the abundance of a bacterial species in ditches. Research has shown that the effect of different nitrogen sources is to change bacterial community composition (class, family). How this influences the role of an individual bacterial species is poorly understood. Thus, our question was how individual species would respond to different sources of nitrogen. We used Aeromonas hydrophila, Bacillus thuringiensis, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa that are common in agricultural ditches and exposed them to different concentrations of nitrogen in cultures with 1x105 bacteria per mL. Nitrogen sources were ammonium chloride, sodium nitrate and urea. The results showed A. hydrophila and E. coli have strong similarities particularly with nitrate-N and urea-N and the response often correlated with the amount of nutrient added. P. aeruginosa while similar did not show any strong correlation with amount of nutrient added. B. thuringiensis was different from the other three bacteria in utilization or production.