"Dream, Dream, Dream! Conduct these dreams into thoughts, and then transform them into action."
- Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam
"Dream, Dream, Dream! Conduct these dreams into thoughts, and then transform them into action."
- Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam
18 Sep 2019
We all know of the harmful effects that pesticides have on our soil. The chemicals in the pesticides kill the good microbes present in the soil and thereby, soil loses its fertility. Studies have suggested that they might also be carcinogenic. The good news is that researchers at Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay have identified a strain of bacteria in soil that actually breaks down and helps to eliminate the carbaryl pesticide.
Numerous tests and experimental studies in laboratory animals have suggested that carbaryl pesticide may probably be carcinogenic to humans. Yet, its use is rampant in the agricultural sector. Carbaryl also leads to pollution of both soil and water ecosystems
The newly identified bacterial strain utilizes carbon and nitrogen for its growth. It acts on carbaryl to generate 1-naphthol and methylamine which are sources of carbon and nitrogen respectively. There are some microbes that have been known to degrade carbaryl, but this bacteria which comes under the Pseudomonas genus could completely degrade the pesticide at a rate that is four to five times faster than other bacterial strains. It has been found that the soil with a high concentration of carbaryl is conducive to the growth of this bacteria.
Dr Prashant S. Phale who is an author of the study explained that nature acts as a laboratory of its own where organisms in an ecosystem interact with each other and exchange genetic material for their benefit and survival.
