Plant agricultural streptomycin formulations do not carry antibiotic resistance genes.
Streptomycin is used in plant agriculture for bacterial disease control, particularly against fire blight in pome fruit orchards. Concerns that this may increase environmental antibiotic resistance have led to bans or restrictions on use. Experience with antibiotic use in animal feeds raises the possible influence of formulation-delivered resistance genes. We demonstrate that agricultural streptomycin formulations do not carry producer organism resistance genes. By using an optimized extraction procedure, Streptomyces 16S rRNA genes and the streptomycin resistance gene strA were not detected in agricultural streptomycin formulations. This diminishes the likelihood for one potential factor in resistance development due to streptomycin use.
Agroscope Changins-Wädenswil, ACW, Swiss National Competence Center for Fire Blight, Wädenswil, Switzerland.
Fabio
F
Rezzonico
Virginia O
VO
Stockwell
Brion
B
Duffy
D000383:Agriculture; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics*; D010944:Plants / Q000382:microbiology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013305:Streptomyces griseus / Q000235:genetics*; D013307:Streptomycin / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; D013307:Streptomycin