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ARS Home » Plains Area » Lincoln, Nebraska » Agroecosystem Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #308223
Title: Narrow grass hedges reduce tylosin and associated antimicrobial resistance genes in agricultural runoff

Author
item SONI, BHAVNEET - University Of Nebraska
item BARTELT-HUNT, SHANNON - University Of Nebraska
item SNOW, DANIEL - University Of Nebraska
item Gilley, John
item Woodbury, Bryan
item MARX, DAVID - University Of Nebraska
item LI, XU - University Of Nebraska

Submitted to: Journal of Environmental Quality
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/16/2015
Publication Date: 5/3/2015
Publication URL: http://handle.nal.usda.gov/10113/61130
Citation: Soni, B., Bartelt-Hunt, S.L., Snow, D.D., Gilley, J.E., Woodbury, B.L., Marx, D.B., Li, X. 2015. Narrow grass hedges reduce tylosin and associated antimicrobial resistance genes in agricultural runoff. Journal of Environmental Quality. 44(3):895-902. DOI: 10.2134/JEQ2014.09.0389.

Interpretive Summary: Runoff from areas receiving livestock manure could potentially contaminate surface water with antimicrobials and antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs) through agricultural runoff. The objective of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of narrow grass hedges (NGH) in reducing the transport of antimicrobials and ARGs in runoff and in soil following the land application of swine manure slurry. Plot-scale rainfall simulation tests were conducted to test the treatment factors: manure amendment and narrow grass hedge. Runoff generated during three 30-min simulated rainfall events was analyzed for antimicrobials and ARGs. Manure amendment was responsible for the presence of the antimicrobial tylosin and the tylosin resistance gene erm(B) in runoff. A narrow grass hedge proved to be consistently effective in reducing the antimicrobial tylosin and erm(B) in runoff. Manure amendment was responsible for the introduction of tylosin into the soil and resulted in an increased absolute abundance of erm(B). The use of narrow grass hedges can serve as a best management practice for reducing the transport of antimicrobials and antimicrobial resistance genes in runoff following land application of swine slurry.

Technical Abstract: Agricultural runoff from areas receiving livestock manure can potentially contaminate surface water with antimicrobials and antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs). The objective of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of narrow grass hedges (NGHs) on reducing the transport of antimicrobials and ARGs in runoff after land application of swine manure slurry. Plot-scale rainfall simulation tests were conducted on 0.75 m by 4.0 m plots designed to test three treatment factors: manure amendment (control plots receiving no manure vs. amended plots receiving manure based on 3 times N requirement), NGH (plots with a NGH vs. plots without a NGH), and rainfall events (days 1–3). Runoff generated during three 30-min simulated rainfall events was sampled and analyzed for antimicrobials and ARGs. Manure amendment was responsible for the presence of antimicrobial tylosin (p < 0.0001) and tylosin resistance gene erm(B) (p < 0.0001) in runoff. Narrow grass hedges proved to be effective in reducing tylosin (p < 0.0001) and erm(B) (p < 0.0347) in runoff. Manure amendment was responsible for the introduction of tylosin (p < 0.0482) and erm(B) (p = 0.0128) into the soil; however, it had no significant impact on the abundance of the 16S rRNA gene in soil. Results from this study suggest that NGHs could be a best management practice to control the transport of antimicrobials and ARGs in agricultural runoff.