The uncontrol use of organophosphate insecticide in agricultural fields to protect crop yields imposes severe environmental issues due to its long persistence in soil and water. For cotton, maize, and sugarcane, monocrotophos is a widely used and effective organophosphate pesticide. To lessen the harm to the environment, biodegradation and detoxification of pesticides need to be developed. In the present study, the polluted site Amlakhadi, Gujarat, India, was explored for the isolation of monocrotophos degrading bacteria. Gordonia terrae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Serratia surfactantfaciens, and a consortium of these three bacteria were chosen for further study on degradation after being tested for their tolerance to monocrotophos. Accelerated degradation by the consortium was confirmed through spectrometry and high performance liquid chromatographic analysis. Trimethyl phosphate and acetamide, N-acetyl N-methyl was generated by the degradation of monocrotophos using consortium culture, confirmed by the gas chromatography–mass spectrometry analysis. The production of phosphotriesterase enzyme facilitated the degradation of monocrotophos and the molecular weight of phosphotriesterase was found between a range of 35– 67 kDa. Degraded metabolites were found to be less toxic than undegraded monocrotophos by cytotoxicity and phytotoxicity tests. Along with monocrotophos degradation and detoxification, isolates also exhibited plant growth-promoting traits. Thus, this screening might be helpful to carry out effective in situ degradation of monocrotophos with the consortium-based formulated prototype for the rectification of polluted sites along with plant growth.
Key words: Monocrotophos, Consortium, Degradation, Detoxification, Phytotoxicity, Cytotoxicity
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