Selection for antimicrobial resistance by plant protection products – analysis of established experimental field sites

Antibiotics are applied to agricultural plants and soils as plant protection products (PPPs) to combat bacterial disease. Their use in agriculture has the potential to cause development and spread of antibiotic resistance genes. Non antibiotic PPPs such as herbicides and insecticides are also applied to agricultural soils. There has been limited research into whether non antibiotic PPPs can cause co-selection for antibiotic resistance. Laboratory experiments and a variety of culture based and molecular microbiology methods will be used to determine if exposing soil bacterial communities to non-antibiotic PPPs results in increased levels of antibiotic resistance. Soil samples will be obtained from well-established experiment field plots, which are treated with PPPs annually. The findings from this novel research may be useful for influencing regulation of PPPs, food safety policy and human health.

Faculty Supervisor:

Edward Topp

Student:

Partner:

University of Exeter

Discipline:

Life Sciences

Sector:

Education

University:

The University of Western Ontario

Program: