ISc, UAS working on strategies to detect, prevent soil contamination

Bengaluru,Jan 10:

The Indian Institute of Science, IISc and the University of Agricultural Sciences, UAS in Bengaluru are working on strategies to detect and prevent soil contamination.

In a new study, the researchers have found out that Salmonella bacteria sneaks through a tiny gap created during branching out of the roots.

Salmonella bacteria and E coli are the most common causes of food poisoning and hence detection of its manifestation into vegetables will now help scientists to find a cure.

The PhD student in IISC Kapudeep Karmakar says that the study has shown for the first time as to how salmonella colonize the roots through contaminated soil.

Professor Dipshikha Chakravortty, in the Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology at IISc says that the study conducted on tomato plant showed that salmonella entered the plant roots during its branching out under the earth and infected the fruit.