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The Effect of Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria Bacillus thuringiensis LKT25 on Cadmium Accumulation and Physiological Responses in Solanum nigrum L

Summary

Scientists discovered a beneficial bacterium called Bacillus thuringiensis LKT25 that helps black nightshade plants absorb cadmium from contaminated soil more effectively. When this bacterium is applied to the plant roots, it boosts plant growth and activates the plant’s natural defense systems against heavy metal toxicity. In tests with moderately contaminated soil, the bacterial treatment improved cadmium removal by nearly 50%, making it a promising solution for cleaning up polluted agricultural lands.

Background

Cadmium contamination in soil poses significant threats to ecological safety and human health. Phytoremediation using hyperaccumulator plants combined with plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria has emerged as a cost-effective and environmentally sustainable approach for heavy metal remediation.

Objective

This study aimed to isolate and identify plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria from Solanum nigrum rhizosphere and assess their impact on plant growth and cadmium accumulation under varying soil cadmium stress conditions.

Results

LKT25 significantly enhanced plant growth, increasing root length up to 2.6-fold and shoot biomass up to 6.6-fold at 5 mg/kg Cd. The strain improved cadmium removal efficiency to 45.13% at 5 mg/kg Cd and enhanced photosynthetic efficiency and antioxidant enzyme activities across all tested cadmium concentrations.

Conclusion

Bacillus thuringiensis LKT25 is a promising microbial agent for cadmium-contaminated soil remediation, exhibiting multiple plant growth-promoting traits and effectively enhancing phytoremediation efficiency across varying pollution levels, with particular effectiveness in high-cadmium environments.
  • Published in:Plants (Basel),
  • Study Type:Experimental Study,
  • Source: PMID: 41012069, DOI: 10.3390/plants14182918
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