Tracing Antibiotic Resistance Genes along the Irrigation Water Chain to Chive: Does Tap or Surface Water Make a Difference?

ABSTRACT: Irrigation water is well known as potential source of pathogens in fresh produce. However, its role in transferring antibiotic resistance determinants is less well investigated. Therefore, we analyzed the contribution of surface and tap water to the resistome of overhead-irrigated chive plants. Field-grown chive was irrigated with either surface water (R-system) or tap water (D-system), from planting to harvest. Water along the two irrigation chains as well as the respective plants were repeatedly sampled and screened for 264 antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and mobile genetic elements (MGEs), using high-capacity qPCR. Differentially abundant (DA) ARGs were determined by comparing the two systems. On R-chive, β-lactam ARGs, multidrug-resistance (MDR) determinants, and MGEs were most abun

SUBMITTER: Gekenidis MT 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8469318 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature