This study aimed to isolate and characterize bacteria able to use sulfentrazone in the commercial formulation as their sole carbon source. The isolation of the potential sulfentrazone-degrading bacteria was made from soil samples with a recent history of herbicide application and from isolates identified through rDNA sequencing. Subsequently, we assessed the growth of the isolates and their sulfentrazone degradation ability using high-performance liquid chromatography. Twenty-six potential sulfentrazone-degrading bacterial isolates were obtained in pure culture. Through analysis of the rDNA sequences, the predominance of bacterial species of the genusPseudomonaswas found. The isolates presented a differentiated ability of sulfentrazone degradation. The presence of herbicide in the culture medium reduced the log phase of four isolates.Pseudomonas putida, Pseudomonas lutea, Pseudomonas plecoglossicidaand three isolates ofPseudomonas sp.showed higher sulfentrazone degradation capacity, which varied from 4 to 15%. This is the first report of thePseudomonasgenre capable of sulfentrazone degradation. The isolates obtained present potential use in bioremediation programs for soil contaminated with sulfentrazone. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]