Microcosm enrichment of 1,3-dichloropropene-degrading soil microbial communities in a compost-amended soil

Aims: A microcosm-enrichment approach was used to investigate bacterial populations that may represent 1,3-dichloropropene (1,3-D)-degrading micro-organisms in compost-amended soil. Methods and Results: After 8 weeks of incubation, with repeated application of 1,3-D, volatilization fluxes were much lower for compost-amended soil (CM) than with the unamended soils, indicating accelerated degradation due to addition of compost, or development of new microbial populations with enhanced degradation capacity. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) profiles of the PCR-amplified region of 16S rDNA genes were used to identify dominant bacterial populations in the fumigant-degrading soil. The DGGE results indicated that specific bacterial types had been enriched, and a more diverse fingerprint was observed in the community derived from the compost-amended soil compared with the unamended soil. Fragments from 16 different DGGE bands were cloned, sequenced and compared with published 16S rDNA sequences. Two clones, designated E1 and E4, were unique to all soils to which compost was added, and corresponded to strains of Pseudomonas and Actinomadura, respectively. Conclusions: The results show that the addition of compost to soil increases specific microbial populations and results in the accelerated degradation of fumigants. Significance and Impact of the Study: Application of compost manure to soil can help degrade soil fumigants at a faster rate.