CHARACTERIZATION OF ANTHRACZENE-DEGRADING RHIZOBACTERIA IN PLANT

ABSTRACT The bacterial load observed in soil and root samples from maize, tomato, potato, and cucumber varied, with root samples generally exhibiting a higher bacterial count than soil samples. The increasing use of herbicides in agriculture has led to the accumulation of anthracene and other polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the environment, posing serious ecological and health risks. The present study profer a biological and ecofriendly solution to the issue of accumulation of anthracene in the soil. Rhizobacterial were isolated from soil and root samples from maize, tomato, potato, and cucumber. The bacterial load of the root samples generally exhibited a higher bacterial count than soil samples. Morphological characterization revealed diverse bacterial colony traits, including circular, irregular, and filamentous forms, with varied pigmentation and opacity. The anthracene degradation test demonstrated that several bacterial isolates could grow at varying anthracene concentrations, with some exhibiting anthracene degradation potential at higher concentrations, the ability of some isolates to maintain growth at 10% anthracene concentrations indicates the presence of highly efficient degraders, some isolates exhibited Media discoloration (e.g., yellowish, milky, cloudy) which suggests metabolic activity associated with anthracene degradation. The bacteria with anthracene degrading abilities were identified molecularly as Lysinibacillus Spp, Pseudomonas Spp, and Priestia Spp. research indicates that these bacteria can utilize anthracene as a carbon source and break it down into simpler compounds through enzymatic pathways. The findings highlight the potential of rhizobacteria in anthracene degradation, reinforcing their relevance in bioremediation applications.