Assessment of Microbiological Quality of Agricultural Surface Water Sources in Mud Plain

Abstract

Agricultural waters may be a source of produce contamination in the fields. The purpose of this study was to determine the microbiological quality of agricultural surface water sources in Mud plain. Water samples were examined for four different agricultural surface water resources, including two ponds and two streams, during the agricultural season. The population of total coliform and fecal coliform were enumerated with Most Probable Number in 100 ml water samples (MPN 100 ml). Generic Escherichia coli populations were determined as MPN and colony forming unit (CFU) isolates in 100 ml water samples. Generic E. coli isolates were recovered for antibiotic susceptibility tests and genetic relationships analyses with RAPD PCR. The presence of Salmonella was also determined in 100 ml water samples with confirmation of InvA gene presence after isolation of presumptive colonies. Total coliform population reached >2.96 log MPN 100 ml(-1). The E. coli population in all surface water sources ranged from 0 to >2.96 log MPN 100 ml(-1) and 0 to 2.78 log CFU 100 ml(-1). The presence of Salmonella was found to be positive in a total of three water samples in two sources (5%). E. coli isolates were found to be resistant to rifampicin (100%), erythromycin (100%), and vancomycin (97.05%). Generic E. coli populations isolated from streams were not grouped together in similar clusters. Results of this study indicate that agricultural surface water sources in Mud Plain may contain a contamination source when in contact with the produce.