Inoculation of phosphate solubilizing bacteria for the improvement of lead accumulation by Brassica juncea

Two phosphate-solubilizing bacterial strains were isolated and identified as Acinetobacter calcoaceticus YC-5a and Enterobacter agglomerans KMC-7 based on the 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis. A. calcoaceticus YC-5a is less well known as a phosphate-solubilizing plant-associated bacterium. The plant growth-promoting properties of the phosphate-solubilizing bacteria (PSB) were characterized in vitro, including their phosphate-solubilizing activities and their capabilities for producing indole-3-acetic acid and siderophores. A pot experiment was conducted to elucidate the effects of inoculating both strains on the growth and Pb uptake of Brassica juncea grown in different concentrations of Pb-contaminated soils. Inoculation with both PSB not only stimulated the growth of B. juncea, but it also influenced the accumulation of Pb in the shoots and roots of the host plant. The present study demonstrates that PSB are a valuable microbial resource that can be exploited to improve the efficiency of phytoextraction.