SOIL MICROBIOLOGY
PROGRAM @ GRIFFIN CAMPUS
3rd YEAR REVIEW
SPRING FACULTY MEETING, MACON, GA
Mussie Y. Habteselassie
Crop and Soil Sciences
UGA Griffin Campus
INTRODUCTION
 Came to UGA in 2008
 30% teaching / 70% research appointment
 Outline:
 Research program
 Sample projects
 Teaching Responsibility
RESEARCH PROGRAM
 Environmental Soil Microbiology Program
1. The ecology of human and animal
pathogens in soils
2. Environmental services of soil microbial
community
3. Microbial water quality
1.
Ecology Of Human and Animal
Pathogens In Soils
Survival
Ecology of
pathogens in soils
Transmission
to produce
 Use of model microorganisms
- Lux marked E. coli O157:H7/Salmonella spp
- GFP marked E. coli O157:H7/Salmonella spp
- Antibiotic resistant E. coli/Salmonella spp
E. coli Persistence in the Rhizosphere
of Fresh Produce
Habteselassie, et al. 2010. Understanding the role of agricultural
practices in potential colonization and contamination by E. coli in
rhizospheres of fresh produce. JFP 73:2001-2009.
Tracking E. coli O157:H7 Activity and
Transmission on Fresh Produce
C
T
3
T
5
Growth (d)
C
C
T
14
Control plants were not visible due
to absence of E. coli O157:H7 lux.
Root
E. coli O157:H7 gfp
Pathogen Persistence and Transmission
during lettuce harvest
 Co-PI on a grant from UC, Davis in
collaboration with Dr. Cannon at the UGA
Center for Food Safety: $338,414
 Two year project (Jan 2011-Dec 2012)
 Soil organic matter accumulation on glove
during harvest and its effect on pathogen
persistence and transmission
 Source tracking organic matter from soil vs
lettuce
2.
Environmental Services of Soil
Microorganisms
N & C cycling
Soil microbes & their
environmental
services
Pollutant
remediation
Approach
- Molecular microbiology – targeting functional genes
- Stable isotope techniques – process characterization
N Cycling Under Contrasting
Agricultural Management Systems
A simplified Internal N cycle in soils
Denitrification
Mineralization
Organic N
Nitrification
NH4+
Microbial
Biomass
Plants
NO3-
Leaching
Ammonia Oxidizing Bacteria vs
Ammonia Oxidizing Archaea
8e+7
Copy # (amoA/g soil)
AOB
AOA
6e+7
4e+7
a
a
a
ba
ba
2e+7
ba
b
Control AS100 AS200
DC100 DC200
Treatment
LW100 LW200
Changes in Soil N Cycling Organisms
Following Repeated Poultry Litter application
Ammonia Oxidizing
Bacteria
Ammonia Oxidizing
Archaea
Control
Plots
Treatment Plots –
Litter @ different rates
Control
Plots
Treatment Plots – Litter @
different rates
New Project On N Cycling
 Functional and molecular diversity in nitrogen
cycle enzymes under contrasting
agricultural management systems.
 USDA-AFRI Microbial Communities
Program. Habteselassie, M.Y.
(Co-PI):$499,894
 5-year project; starts in July 2011
 Organic vs conventional farming systems
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC)
Metabolizing organisms in Indoor Plants
 Seed Money from the National Foliage
Foundation (NFF)
 VOCs from different sources such as
carpets, computers
 Some indoor plants efficient in removing
VOCs
 Microorganisms in the rhizosphere important
players in VOCs removal
 Survey in two homes in Athens, GA - >100
VOCs
Isolation and Characterization
PCR
Cloning
Sequencing
Priming
Extraction,
streaking &
Isolation
Identification &
Characterization
TEACHING
#
Courses
1 *CRSS 4610/6610: Soil
Microbiology
2 *CRSS 3060: Soils and
Hydrology
3 CRSS 4580: Soil Erosion and
Conservation
4 AESC 3920: Ag. and
Environmental Sc. Internship
5 AESC 4960: Undergraduate
Research
Yr
Student
Taught
#
2009,
32
2010
2009,
11
2010
2010
4
2010
2011
2009,
2010
2
2
…TEACHING
Natural Resources Science Major @ the
Griffin Campus
Required
Courses
Course Name
CRSS 4610/6610 Soil Microbiology
CRSS 3060
Soils and Hydrology
AESC 4960
Undergraduate Research
AESC 3510
Digital Imaging & Computer App in Ag.
AESC 4190/6190 Agricultural Ethics
CRSS 4440/6440 Environmental Physiology
CRSS 3050
Water Quality