Temporal and Agricultural Factors Influence Escherichia coli Survival in Soil and Transfer to Cucumbers
Pushpinder Kaur Litt, Alyssa Kelly, Alexis N. Omar, Gordon Johnson, Bryan T. Vinyard, Kalmia E. Kniel, Manan Sharma
Abstract
Poultry litter and other biological soil amendments are commonly used fertilizers in fruit and vegetable production and can introduce enteric pathogens such as Escherichia coli O157:H7 or Salmonella previously associated with outbreaks of illness linked to contaminated produce. E. coli survival duration in soils covered with plastic mulch or uncovered and containing poultry litter or heat-treated poultry litter pellets were evaluated. Nitrate levels on day 30 and moisture content in soils on day 40 on specific days were good predictors of E. coli survival in soils; however, the combination of year, amendment, and mulch type was a better predictor.