In Kyrgyzstan, many former storehouses and dump sites for obsolete pesticides exist. In 2009/2010, an inventory and assessment of these sites including risks of environmental hazard has been conducted by FAO and the World Bank. Monitoring revealed high concentration of pesticides listed as persistent organic pollutants (POPs). The purpose of this research was to study the microbial structural complexes of the pesticide-contaminated soils in these dumping zones, and to search for and select microorganism’s destructors with cytochrome P450 genes for pesticide degradation. Culture-dependent and culture-independent approaches were used to determine the taxonomic composition of these bacterial communities. The universal primer set for the 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene and the specific primer set P450R were used to amplify the cytochrome P450 hydroxylase gene. In soils from Suzak A and B and soils from Balykchy dumping sites, the bacteria from the Actinobacteria phylum (Micrococcus genus) were dominant. These bacteria made up 32–47% of the indigenous local microflora; bacteria species from the Pseudomonas genus (Gammaproteobacteria phylum) made up 23% in Suzak, 12% in Balykchy soils. Bacillus species from the Firmicutes phylum were found only in Suzak soils. The 16S rRNA analyses and the specific primer set P450R have revealed bacteria with cytochrome genes which are directly involved in the degradation process of organic carbon compounds. Experiments were carried out to help select active degraders from the bacterial populations isolated and used to degrade Aldrin in laboratory. Active bacterial strains from the Pseudomonas fluorescens and Bacillus polymyxa population were selected which demonstrated high rates of degradation activity on Aldrin.

Ten isolates of Erwinia carotovora ssp. carotovora (Ecc) were isolated from infected potato tubers of Picasso, Sante, and Nevskiy varieties collected from different regions in Kyrgyzstan. Isolates were identified as Erwinia carotovora ssp. carotovora (Ecc) by standard bacteriological techniques and pathogenicity tests on tubers and also by PCR analyses. Tests on the pathogenicity of E. carotovora ssp. carotovora (Ecc) strains to host plants by artificial inoculation have shown a high sensibility of the Picasso variety. As a result, five isolates were chosen, three isolates (EcPo1, EcPo2, and Eco3) were highly pathogenic, while two isolates (Eco4 and Eco5) were weakly pathogenic. The antagonistic bacteria, Streptomyces diastatochromogenes strain sk-6, and Streptomyces graminearuss strain sk-2, have a highly significant effect on soft rot bacteria isolates (Ecc), more than the other tested antagonistic organisms in vitro screening biotests. The Streptomyces diastatochromogenes sk-6 was selected for the control assay of storage potatoes against the most common soft rot bacterial strain in Kyrgyzstan, Erwinia carotovora sp. carotovora EcPo2. The pretreatment of potato tubers with antagonistic bacteria successfully prevented the initial infection multiplication of soft rot bacteria and reduced soft rot disease of potatoes in storage. These results justify selection of the dose 10 6 cells/ml of bacteria Streptomyces diastatochromogenes sk-6 for use in powdering the infected or non-infected potato tubers to suppress the development soft rot during storage. Streptomyces diastatochromogenes sk-6 as a biological disinfectant could destroy surface and internal infections, protect the tubers from the growth of phytopathogenic bacteria in the early period of their reproduction, and improve the overwintering of winter crops.

Background: In this study, wild-type fungal isolates, producing highly effective cellulolytic enzymes were selected for bioconversion of residues and waste from agriculture and rational utilization of energy resources for food production. Methods: We screened wild-type fungal isolates of Aspergillus, Penicillium, and Trichoderma with an enhanced ability to produce extracellular cellulase. We carried out solid-state fermentation on a medium of agricultural waste products, including wheat bran, beet peels, and cotton oil cake, as well as additional sources of nitrogen and mineral elements. Enzyme production by the fungal isolates was detected within 14 days of cultivation. Results: Of 17 strains of Trichoderma, Aspergillus, and Penicillium tested, we identified Penicillium strain K-2-25 and Trichoderma lignorium strain T-22 to have high cellulolytic activity. K-2-25 demonstrated the highest activity after 48 hours of cultivation. T-22 also showed significant cellulolytic activity. Penicillium strain K-2-25 showed cellulolytic activity for 98-270 hours during cultivation, and the amount of reduced glucose was 945 mg. T. lignorium T-22 was the second most active strain, with glucose reduction of 835 mg. Conclusion: The strains K-2-25 and T-22 will are be recommended for biotechnological applications, especially for bioconversion of poor hardly decomposable vegetable waste products, such as like straw, into useful biomass.

In the present study, a biofertilizer on the basis of Streptomyces fumanus gn-2 was used for the treatment of wheat and soybean seeds (dose 10 4 spore/ml) before planting them in soil with low fertility in order to determine the effect of this biological agent on germination rate; the growth of seedlings, shoots, and the maturation phase of plants; the rhizosphere's functional biodiversity; and the resistance of these plants to pathogens. Seeds were soaked in the suspension for a period of two or three hours. During the growing season of the crop, no additional fertilizing and spraying of a biopesticide against diseases or pests occurred. Despite the soil having low fertility, low quantities of organic matter, and not having been before used for the cultivation of agricultural plants, this biofertilizer showed a strong stimulatory effect on the growth of seeds and seedlings of wheat and soybeans. The average germination and seed vigor increased by 1.5 -2.0 times, and the phenophases were accelerated to three to five days. In all phases of vegetation, the ammonifying bacteria in the presence of an antagonist (a biological agent) developed rapidly and were constantly present in significant numbers in the rhizosphere. Streptomyces fumanus introduced into nonsterile soil entered into competition with the local soil microflora and had the ability to colonize the rhizosphere system of plants. The use of a formulation of Streptomyces gn-2 has improved the composition of rhizosphere microflora, attracting saprophytic microorganisms: ammonificators and oligotrophs. The presence of the biocontrol microorganism Streptomyces fumanus in the rhizosphere plays an important role in enhancing the growth and development of useful groups, such as nitrogen-fixing bacteria. 556

Erwinia amylovora species were isolated from the blossoms, exudates, infected fruits, leaves and bent branches of diseased apple, pear and hawthorn trees, selected in the Chy, Osh and Jalal Abad regions. Biochemical and pathogenicity tests, alongside PCR analyses, were conducted to identify the local isolates of Erwinia amylovora. The alternative antagonistic microorganisms which combat bacterium E. amylovora were tested within in vitro and in vivo conditions. The results revealed the ability of Streptomyces antagonistic bacteria to decrease fire blight severity on pear and apple trees during the first stage of the fire blight disease in leaf tissues. Streptomyces strain C1-4 suppressed E. amylovora disease symptoms in the leaf tissues and excised apple and pear shoots. The incidence of fire blight on leaves was reduced by about 70% with two applications of bacterial antagonists. Further studies at different locations in Kyrgyzstan, using large scale application, would allow for stronger recommendations to be made, including studies and recommendations on their ability to prevent disease and to use them as main components in an integrated pest management program.