Nine dichlorprop-degrading bacteria and three pairs of bacteria showing syntrophic metabolism of the herbicide were isolated from soils, and their genetic and phenotypic characteristics were investigated. Analysis of 16S rDNA sequences indicated that the isolates were related to members of the genera, Sphingomonas, Herbaspirillum, and Bradyrhizobium. Twelve different chromosomal DNA patterns were obtained by polymerase-chain-reaction (PCR) amplification of repetitive extragenic palindromic (REP) sequences from the 15 isolates. The isolates were able to utilize the herbicide dichlorprop as a sole source of carbon and energy and their dichlorprop derogative pathways were induced by the presence of dichlorprop. Most of the isolates and syntrophic pairs were able to degrade both (R)- and (S)-dichlorprop, but strain DP522 exhibited enantioselective degradation of (S)-dichlorprop. The isolates degraded 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, 2-methyl-4-chlorophenoxyacetic acid , and mecoprop, in addition to dichlorprop. Oxygen uptake experiments indicated that most of the isolates degraded dichlorprop through 2,4-dichlorophenol.