HUMAN PATHOGENIC BACTERIA ASSOCIATED WITH FIELD GROWN TOMATO AND RADISHINDU GAUR , P. D. SHARMA AND P. K. PAULAbstract Organic farming employs the use of farm animal dung based manure, leading to colonization of edible plant parts with human pathogenic bacteria. The reports on human pathogen colonization of organically grown fruits/vegetables are very limited in Indian context. The present study was envisaged for the identification and characterization of such bacteria colonizing organically grown radish and tomato leaves and fruits. The samples were collected in September and January, 2015 from organic agriculture fields in Uttar Pradesh, India. Bacteria from root, fruit and leaf surface of samples were isolated using selective media by standard methods. Based on morphologies and biochemical characterization, 12 bacterial isolates were subjected to 16S rRNA sequencing which revealed the presence of Klebsiella pneumoniae, Serratiafonticola, Enterobacter ludwigii, Stenotrophomonas maltophilia and Chryseobacterium jejuense on the root and leaf surface of radish and tomato. Colonization and growth pattern for identified bacteria suggested their adaptability to the phyllosphere. The bacteria were tested for their sensitivity to selected antibiotics and were found to be resistant to many of them. Since the identified bacteria are known human pathogens, their presence on edible plant parts poses potential risk to consumers health and may lead to outbreaks of gastrointestinal diseases.
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