The effects of irrigation on the survival of Clostridium sporogenes in the phyllosphere and soil environments of lettuce.

ABSTRACT: This study aimed to address the gap in knowledge regarding the fate of foodborne pathogens within agro-ecosystems. It specifically focused on the surrogate microorganism Clostridium sporogenes, which was introduced into lettuce-producing environments via surface and spray irrigation methods, respectively. The concentration of C. sporogenes in the rhizosphere, phyllosphere, and non-rhizosphere soil was quantified by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) over a 42-day trial. The surface irrigation method exhibited a more noticeable contamination effect on the soil environments, compared to the phyllosphere. The results indicated a noticeable increase in C. sporogenes concentrations during the initial 22 days, with a 10.4-fold rise (0.39-4.05 log copy numbers/g so

SUBMITTER: Fourie JCJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11415320 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature