Potential use of Solanum lycopersicum and plant growth promoting rhizobacterial (PGPR) strains for the phytoremediation of endosulfan stressed soil

ABSTRACT This study aimed to assess the role of Solanum lycopersicum and plant growth promoting rhizobacterial (PGPR) strains to remove endosulfan present in the soil. S. lycopersicum was grown in endosulfan amended soil (5, 10, 25, and 50 mg kg-1) inoculated with PGPR strains for 40, 80, and 120 days. The influence of PGPR inoculation on endosulfan accumulation in plant tissues, endosulfan degradation in soil, and plant growth parameters were evaluated. The oxidative stress tolerance was assessed by determining the malondialdehyde formation in S. lycopersicum planted in endosulfan stressed soil inoculated with PGPR strains. The results showed that uptake of endosulfan followed root > shoot pathway in association with a reduction in endosulfan accumulation in inoculated plants as related to un-inoculated plants. Moreover, inoculation of PGPR strains showed a beneficial influence on the degradation of endosulfan, Bacillus sp. PRB101 showed maximum degradation (89 % at 5 mg kg−1 of soil) of endosulfan at 120 days after sowing. Furthermore, the content of malondialdehyde was lower in inoculated plants as related to un-inoculated plants. Inoculation of PGPR strains efficiently enhanced plant biomass. The findings showed the effectiveness of PGPR strains to increase the decontamination of endosulfan stressed soil and decline endosulfan concentration in the plant tissues.