Dose-response analysis of diesel fuel phytotoxicity on selected plant species

Metagenomic insight into the plant growth-promoting potential of a diesel-degrading bacterial consortium for enhanced rhizoremediation application

“…The use of plants to clean up contaminated sites is an eco-friendly and cost-effective technology. However, petroleum hydrocarbons are phytotoxic to most plant species, and consequently impact negatively on plant growth and biomass production 17 . Most plants are unable to prosper in contaminated soils due to hydrocarbon-induced toxicity.…”

“…The soil was sieved using a 2-mm sieve to remove large particles. Diesel fuel (C 10 -C 25 ) from a Shell service station in Goettingen was added to the soil and homogenized following the methods of Eze, et al 17 with some modifications. In brief, the soil was manually homogenized for an hour.…”

“…In microcosm experiments performed in association with Medicago sativa L., the consortium significantly enhanced the growth of M. sativa , and achieved 91% rhizodegradation of diesel fuel hydrocarbons within 60 days. The choice of M. sativa was based on our previous study that revealed the plant’s tolerance to hydrocarbons 17 . The results of this study will expand the range of available PGPR for use in rhizoremediation of environmental contaminants.…”

Exploiting synergistic interactions ofMedicago sativaL. andParaburkholderia tropicafor enhanced biodegradation of diesel fuel hydrocarbons

“…Diesel fuel is phytotoxic to most plant species, and therefore often has negative effects on plant growth and biomass production 15 . The inoculation of M. sativa with P. tropica in this study resulted in increased growth rate and biomass production of M. sativa .…”

“…Specifically, this study is the first attempt to examine the synergistic interactions of Medicago sativa L. and Paraburkholderia tropica for enhanced rhizoremediation of diesel fuel-contaminated soils. This is highly relevant considering recent studies have shown that Paraburkholderia strains can potentially promote plant growth and/or degrade contaminants 13, 14 Additionally, our earlier studies revealed that M. sativa has high tolerance to petroleum hydrocarbons, relative to other plant species 15 , thereby making it an ideal plant to investigate plant-microbe synergy for biodegradation. By combining genome studies of P. tropica with a pot-based rhizodegradation experiment, we demonstrate that synergistic interactions between M. sativa and P. tropica promotes rhizodegradation of petroleum hydrocarbons.…”