Bacterial adaptation to rhizosphere soil is independent of the selective pressure exerted by the herbicide saflufenacil, through the modulation of catalase and glutathione S-transferase.

Herbicides cause oxidative stress in nontarget microorganisms, which may exhibit adaptive responses to substances they have not previously encountered. Nevertheless, it is unclear whether these characteristics occur in bacteria isolated from agricultural soil. Two possible adaptation strategies of Stenotrophomonas sp. CMA26 was evaluated in agricultural soil in Brazil, which is considered stressful due to the intense use of pesticides. The study focused on degradation and antioxidant enzymes in response to the herbicide Heat, which was absent at the isolation site. The results indicated that higher concentrations of herbicide led to more intense stress conditions during the initial periods of growth. This was evidenced by elevated levels of malondialdehyde and peroxide, as well as a significant reduction in growth. Our data show that herbicide degradation is a selection-dependent process, as none of the 35 isolates from the same environment in our collection were able to degrade the herbicide. The stress was controlled by changes in the enzymatic modulation of catalase activity in response to peroxide and glutathione S-transferase activity in response to malondialdehyde, especially at higher herbicide concentrations. This modulation pattern is related to the bacterial growth phases and herbicide concentration, with a specific recovery response observed during the mid phase for higher herbicide concentrations. The metabolic systems that contributed to tolerance did not depend on the specific prior selection of saflufenacil. Instead, they were related to general stress responses, regardless of the stress-generating substance. This system may have evolved in response to reactive oxygen species, regardless of the substance that caused oxidative stress, by modulating of the activities of various antioxidant enzymes. Bacterial communities possessing these plastic tolerance mechanisms can survive without necessarily degrading herbicides. However, their presence can lead to changes in biodiversity, compromise the functionality of agricultural soils, and contribute to environmental contamination through drift.

Revealing potential functions of hypothetical proteins induced by genistein in the symbiosis island of Bradyrhizobium japonicum commercial strain SEMIA 5079 (= CPAC 15).

BACKGROUND: Bradyrhizobium japonicum strain SEMIA 5079 (= CPAC 15) is a nitrogen-fixing symbiont of soybean broadly used in commercial inoculants in Brazil. Its genome has about 50% of hypothetical (HP) protein-coding genes, many in the symbiosis island, raising questions about their putative role on the biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) process. This study aimed to infer functional roles to 15 HP genes localized in the symbiosis island of SEMIA 5079, and to analyze their expression in the presence of a nod-gene inducer. RESULTS: A workflow of bioinformatics tools/databases was established and allowed the functional annotation of the HP genes. Most were enzymes, including transferases in the biosynthetic pathways of cobalamin, amino acids and secondary metabolites that may help in saprophytic ability and stress tolerance, and hydrolases, that may be important for competitiveness, plant infection, and stress tolerance. Putative roles for other enzymes and transporters identified are discussed. Some HP proteins were specific to the genus Bradyrhizobium, others to specific host legumes, and the analysis of orthologues helped to predict roles in BNF. CONCLUSIONS: All 15 HP genes were induced by genistein and high induction was confirmed in five of them, suggesting major roles in the BNF process.

Mortalidade de abelhas sem ferrão Scaptotrigona bipunctata sob os efeitos dos herbicidas paraquat e diquat / Mortality of Scaptotrigona bipunctata stingless bees under the effects of paraquat and diquat herbicides / Mortalidad de abejas sin aguijón Scaptotrigona bipunctata bajo los efectos de los herbicidas paraquat y diquat

As abelhas exercem essencial atividade polinizadora, além de fundamentais na manutenção ecossistêmica, também polinizam diversos sistemas agrícolas. São crescentes os relatos sobre o desaparecimento de abelhas, possivelmente em decorrência do intenso uso de agrotóxicos, os quais não possuem seus efeitos sobre a biodiversidade, de fato, conhecidos. A maioria dos estudos nessa área é voltada para a compreensão dos efeitos de inseticidas, porém, os herbicidas também podem influenciar na mortandade dos insetos polinizadores. Referente aos herbicidas paraquat e diquat, amplamente utilizados na agricultura, pouco se conhece sobre os efeitos que atingem organismos não-alvo, como as abelhas. Este trabalho avaliou a mortalidade das abelhas Scaptotrigona bipunctata submetidas aos herbicidas paraquat e diquat, via contato e ingestão. Dois experimentos foram conduzidos no delineamento de blocos casualizados em esquema fatorial 2 x 2 com tratamento adicional, em três repetições. Os tratamentos foram: dois herbicidas (paraquat e diquat), duas doses (50 e 100%) e um tratamento adicional sem exposição ao produto (controle). Cada parcela consistiu em dez indivíduos, expostos aos tratamentos e incubados à 28oC durante 72 horas em ambiente controlado. Para o experimento de ingestão, ambas as doses dos herbicidas resultaram em maior mortalidade de abelhas em relação à condição controle. Ademais, a dose 100% resultou em maior toxicidade comparada à dose 50%. Para a contaminação via contato, não houve aumento na mortalidade das abelhas perante a exposição. Conclui-se que a contaminação por ingestão com os herbicidas paraquat e diquat pode afetar a sobrevivência das abelhas sem ferrão, podendo em longo prazo alterar a viabilidade e a dinâmica das populações das abelhas Scaptotrigona bipunctata.(AU)

Bees have essential pollinating activities and are fundamental to the maintenance of the ecosystem since they also pollinate various agricultural systems. There are growing reports about the disappearance of bees, possibly due to the intense use of pesticides, which do not have their effects on biodiversity fully known. Most studies in this area are aimed at understanding the effects of insecticides; however, herbicides can also influence the mortality of pollinating insects. Regarding the paraquat and diquat herbicides, widely used in agriculture, little is known about the effects on non-target organisms, such as bees. This work evaluated the mortality of Scaptotrigona bipunctata bees submitted to the paraquat and diquat herbicides via contact and ingestion. Two experiments were conducted in a randomized block design in a 2 x 2 factorial scheme with additional treatment, in three replications. The treatments were: two herbicides (paraquat and diquat), two doses (50 and 100%), and an additional treatment without contamination (control). Each plot consisted of ten individuals exposed to treatments and incubated at 28 ºC for 72 hours in a controlled environment. For the ingestion experiment, both doses of the herbicides resulted in higher bee mortality when compared to the control condition. In addition, the 100% dose resulted in greater toxicity when compared to the 50% dose. For contact contamination, there was no increase in bee mortality on exposure. It can be concluded that contamination by ingestion of paraquat and diquat can affect the survival of stingless bees, which in the long term may alter the viability and population dynamics of Scaptotrigona bipunctata bees.(AU)

Las abejas ejercen una actividad polinizadora esencial, además de ser fundamentales en el mantenimiento de los ecosistemas, también polinizan varios sistemas agrícolas. Cada vez hay más informes sobre la desaparición de abejas, posiblemente como consecuencia del uso intenso de pesticidas, que no tienen sus efectos sobre la biodiversidad, de hecho, conocidos. La mayoría de los estudios en esta área tienen como objetivo comprender los efectos de los insecticidas, sin embargo, los herbicidas también pueden influir en la mortalidad de los insectos polinizadores. Con respecto a los herbicidas paraquat e diquat, ampliamente utilizados en la agricultura, se sabe poco sobre los efectos que afectan a organismos no objetivo, como las abejas. Esta investigación evaluó la mortalidad de abejas Scaptotrigona bipunctata sometidas a herbicidas paraquat y diquat, por contacto e ingestión. Dos experimentos fueron conducidos en el delineamiento de bloques casualizados en esquema factorial 2 x 2 con tratamiento adicional, en tres repeticiones. Los tratamientos fueron: dos herbicidas (paraquat y diquat) dos dosis (50 y 100%) y un tratamiento adicional sin exposición al producto (control). Cada parcela estuvo compuesta por diez individuos, expuestos a tratamientos e incubados a 28ºC durante 72 horas en ambiente controlado. Para el experimento de ingestión, ambas dosis de herbicidas resultaron en mayor mortalidad de abejas en comparación con la condición de control. Además, la dosis del 100% resultó en mayor toxicidad en comparación con la dosis del 50%. Para la contaminación por contacto, no hubo un aumento en la mortalidad de las abejas debido a la exposición. Se concluye que la contaminación por ingestión con herbicidas paraquat y diquat puede afectar la supervivencia de las abejas sin aguijón, lo que a largo plazo puede alterar la viabilidad y la dinámica poblacional de las abejas Scaptotrigona bipunctata.(AU)