Long-term field phytoextraction of zinc/cadmium contaminated soil by Sedum plumbizincicola under different agronomic strategies

In two long-term field experiments the zinc (Zn)/cadmium (Cd) hyperaccumulator Sedum plumbizincicola (S. plumbizincicola) was examined to optimize the phytoextraction of metal contaminated soil by two agronomic strategies of intercropping with maize (Zea mays) and plant densities. Soil total Zn and Cd concentrations decreased markedly after long-term phytoextraction. But shoot biomass and Cd and Zn concentrations showed no significant difference with increasing remediation time. In the intercropping experiment the phytoremediation efficiency in the treatment “S. plumbizincicola intercropped with maize” was higher than in S. plumbizincicola monocropping, and Cd concentrations of corn were below the maximum national limit. In the plant density experiment the phytoremediation efficiency increased with increasing plant density and 440,000 plants ha^?1 gave the maximum rate. These results indicated that S. plumbizincicola at an appropriate planting density and intercropped with maize can achieve high remediation efficiency to contaminated soil without affecting the cereal crop productivity. This cropping system combines adequate agricultural production with soil heavy metal phytoextraction.     

Comparison of heavy metal phytoremediation in monoculture and intercropping systems of Phyllostachys praecox and Sedum plumbizincicola in polluted soil

A bamboo species (Phyllostachys praecox) and a Cd/Zn hyperaccumulator (Sedum plumbizincicola) were tested under different planting systems to compare their heavy metal phytoremediation ability. P. praecox (MP), S. plumbizincicola (MS) and P. praecox × S. plumbizincicola (IPS) plantations were established in Cu, Zn, and Cd-contaminated soil. Soil properties and heavy metal contents in plants were determined and compared after four years of plantation establishment. The rankings of available and total metal contents in soil layers were MP > MS > IPS (0–20 cm) and MP > IPS > MS (20–40 cm, except for Cu), respectively. The Cu and Zn contents in mature bamboo tissues were significantly lower, but the Cd contents in bamboo tissues (except for leaves) higher, in the IPS than in the MP. The bioconcentration and the translocation factors in most of bamboo tissues showed an increasing trend from the MP to the IPS. Heavy metal distribution in plants is greatly affected by the planting patterns. The tested intercropping system of two plant species showed higher biomass productivity, implying more heavy metals can be removed from the soil through the harvesting of plants. Therefore, the IPS leads to significant improvement of soil phytoremediation.     

间作栽培对连作马铃薯根际土壤微生物群落的影响

连作严重影响了作物的产量和品质,而土壤微生物群落结构与功能对土壤生态系统和植物健康至关重要。以连作10a土壤为基质,单作马铃薯为对照,采用磷脂脂肪酸(Phospholipid fatty acids)、BIOLOGA技术和真菌形态学鉴定方法,研究了玉米、蚕豆与马铃薯间作模式下土壤微生物群落结构、功能和丛植菌根(Arbuscular Mycorrhizal)真菌对土壤环境变化的响应。结果表明:间作调控下,马铃薯根际土壤微生物主要类群结构发生显著改变;玉米间作马铃薯,土壤微生物群落总生物量降低,但群落功能多样性提高,促进了以羧酸类、多聚化合物、芳香类化合物、氨基酸类化合物为碳源的微生物类群代谢活性增强;蚕豆间作增加了土壤微生物总生物量,仅促进了以碳水化合物为碳源的微生物类群代谢活性。间作改变了作物根际土壤AM真菌的种、属数,AM真菌多样性降低,优势种由明球囊霉、地球囊霉转变为玉米间作体系里的福摩萨球囊霉、球泡球囊霉;蚕豆间作体系里福摩萨球囊霉和疣状无梗囊霉是优势种。间作栽培下AM真菌优势种群的变化可能受植物间的共生关系、微生物结构与功能等因素的制约。间作条件下,玉米显著影响了马铃薯根际土壤微生物群落功能多样性,而蚕豆则显著改变了微生物群落结构多样性;玉米、蚕豆对马铃薯根际土壤微生物群落功能与结构变化的影响不同步;间作调控后持续的土壤微生物群落结构与功能观察才有助于解释土壤微生物结构变化引起的功能响应。     

Phytoextraction potential of soils highly polluted with cadmium using the cadmium/zinc hyperaccumulator Sedum plumbizincicola

Abstract

A three-crop repeated phytoextraction experiment was conducted using four soils (S1–S4) highly polluted with cadmium (Cd) and two enhanced phytoextraction pot experiments using the most polluted soil (S4) to investigate the feasibility of Cd removal from highly polluted soils using the Cd/zinc (Zn)-hyperaccumulator Sedum plumbizincicola. Shoot biomass showed no significant difference during the repeated phytoextraction experiment on the four test soils and shoot Cd content showed a decreasing trend with the three consecutive crops in soils S1, S2, and S3 but not in soil S4. The Cd removal rates in soils S1, S2, S3, and S4 were 84.5, 81.6, 45.3, and 32.4%, respectively. Rice straw application increased Cd extraction efficiency by 42.6% but the addition of ethylenediaminedisuccinic acid, biochar or nitrogen had no effect on Cd remediation. Shoot Cd content increased significantly (1.57 and 1.71 times, respectively) at low (S₀-1) and high (S₀-2) sulfur addition rates. Soil extractable-Cd in S₀-1 after the experiment showed no significant difference from the control but was 2.43 times higher in S₀-2 than in the control. These results indicate that S. plumbizincicola shows good prospects for the phytoextraction of Cd from highly polluted soils and that the process can be enhanced by adding straw and/or sulfur to the soil.     

Use of mulberry–soybean intercropping in salt–alkali soil impacts the diversity of the soil bacterial community

Diverse intercropping system has been used to control disease and improve productivity in the field. In this research, the bacterial communities in salt–alkali soils of monoculture and intercropping mulberry and soybean were studied using 454‐pyrosequencing of the 16S rDNA gene. The dominant taxonomic groups were Proteobacteria, Acidobacteria, Actinobacteria, Chloroflexi, Bacteroidetes, Planctomycetes and Gemmatimonadetes and these were present across all samples. However, the diversity and composition of bacterial communities varied between monoculture and intercropping samples. The estimated bacterial diversity (H') was higher with intercropping soybean than in monoculture soybean, whereas H' showed an opposite pattern in monoculture and intercropping mulberry. Populations of Actinobacteria, Acidobacteria, and Proteobacteria were variable, depending on growth of plants as monoculture or intercropped. Most of Actinobacteria and Chloroflexi were found in intercropping samples, while Acidobacteria and Proteobacteria were present at a higher percentage in monoculture samples. The plant diversity of aboveground and microbial diversity of belowground was linked and soil pH seemed to influence the bacterial community. Finally, the specific plant species was the major factor that determined the bacterial community in the salt–alkali soils.     

Soils from intercropped fields have a higher capacity to suppress black root rot in cassava,caused by Scytalidium lignicola

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the natural suppressive capacity of soils from forest, and monocropping and intercropping systems, against root rot, caused by Scytalidium lignicola, in a greenhouse experiment. We used soils from a tropical dry forest (FOR) and two intercropping and two monoculture systems. The first intercrop was maize and beans (CORNCOWP), and the second intercrop was cassava, pigeon peas and beans (CASPIGPCOWP). The first monoculture was beans, and the second was passion fruit. The intercropping soils showed a higher capacity to suppress black root rot in cassava than the monoculture because such soils were able to reduce disease severity by about 50%. Bean soil in the monoculture showed less microbial biomass carbon than in the intercrop, with means of 10.05 and 38.2 mg/kg, respectively. The higher density of bacteria and fungal populations, microbial biomass, urease and arylsulphatase activities correlated with a decrease in disease severity. Soils from the intercrops produced changes in soil quality, primarily in the population and density of microorganisms, enzymatic activities, total organic carbon and nutrients, reducing disease severity in cassava plants. These effects were validated by multivariate principal component analysis and showed three distinct groups: one FOR, one intercropping and one monocropping. The majority of vectors were in the direction of FOR and intercropping soils. We have provided some of the first data related to the beneficial effects of intercropping on the suppression of black root rot in cassava, which is validated through different attributes.     

Effect of peanut mixed cropping with gramineous species on micronutrient concentrations and iron chlorosis of peanut plants grown in a calcareous soil

To gain a better understanding of the mechanisms of improvement of iron nutrition of peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) intercropped with maize (Zea mays L.) in calcareous soil, both greenhouse and field experiments were conducted to investigate the rhizosphere (phytosiderophores) effects from maize, barley, oats and wheat with different phytosiderophores release rates on iron nutrition and other micronutrients in calcareous soil. Six cropping treatments were examined in a greenhouse experiment: peanut grown separately in monoculture, normal peanut/maize intercropping (two genotypes: Danyu13, Zhongdan12), peanut/barley intercropping, peanut/oats intercropping, and peanut/wheat intercropping. Additionally, we investigated in a field experiment the same five cropping systems as the greenhouse experiment (maize/peanut intercropping not including Zhongdan12). Our results show that the chlorophyll and active Fe concentrations in the young leaves of the peanut in the intercropping system with different gramineous species were much higher than those of the peanut in monoculture. In greenhouse conditions, the Fe concentration in the shoots of peanut plants grown in the intercropping systems of two maize genotypes separately were 1.40–1.44, 1.47–1.64 and 1.15–1.42 times higher respectively than those of peanut plants grown in monocropping at 55, 60 and 70 days. In particular, the Fe concentration in shoots of peanut plants grown in the intercropping systems of barley, oats and wheat were not only higher than those in monocropping but also higher than those in peanut intercropped cropping with maize. In the field, the concentration of Fe in shoot of intercropped peanut plants in rows 1–3 from gramineous species were significantly higher than in monocropping at the flowering stage. Simultaneously with iron nutrition variation in peanut, Zn and Cu concentrations of intercropped grown peanut increased significantly compared to those in monocropping in the greenhouse experiment, and different intercropping treatments generally increased the Zn and Cu content in the shoot of peanut in the field. Systemic mechanisms may be involved in adaptation to nutrient stresses at the whole plant level. The study suggests that a reasonable intercropping system of nutrient efficient species should be considered to prevent or mitigate iron and zinc deficiency of plants in agricultural practice.     

Dynamics of plant metal uptake and metal changes in whole soil and soil particle fractions during repeated phytoextraction

Aims

Phytoextration of metal polluted soils using hyperaccumulators is a promising technology but requires long term successive cropping. This study investigated the dynamics of plant metal uptake and changes in soil metals over a long remediation time.

Methods

A soil slightly polluted with metals (S1) was mixed with highly polluted soil (S4) to give two intermediate pollution levels (S2, S3). The four resulting soils were repeatedly phyto-extracted using nine successive crops of Cd/Zn-hyperaccumulator Sedum plumbizincicola over a period of 4 years.

Results

Shoot Cd concentration decreased with harvest time in all soils but shoot Zn declined in S1 only. Similar shoot Zn concentrations were found in S2, S3 and S4 although these soils differed markedly in metal availability, and their available metals decreased during phytoextraction. A possible explanation is that plant active acquisition ability served to maintain plant metal uptake. Plant uptake resulted in the largest decrease in the acid-soluble metal fraction followed by reducible metals. Oxidisable and residual fractions were less available to plants. The coarse soil particle fractions made the major contribution to metal decline overall than the fine fractions.

Conclusion

Sedum plumbizincicola maintained long term metal uptake and the coarse soil particles played the most important role in phytoextraction.     

Phytoextraction of Metals and Rhizoremediation of PAHs in Co-Contaminated Soil by Co-Planting of Sedum Alfredii with Ryegrass (Lolium Perenne) or Castor (Ricinus Communis)

A pot experiment was conducted to investigate the potential for phytoextraction of heavy metals and rhizoremediation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in co-contaminated soil by co-planting a cadmium/zinc (Cd/Zn) hyperaccumulator and lead (Pb) accumulator Sedum alfredii with ryegrass (Lolium perenne) or castor (Ricinus communis). Co-planting with castor decreased the shoot biomass of S. alfredii as compared to that in monoculture. Cadmium concentration in S. alfredii shoot significantly decreased when grown with ryegrass or castor as compared to that in monoculture. However, no reduction of Zn or Pb concentration in S. alfredii shoot was detected in co-planting treatments. Total removal of either Cd, Zn, or Pb by plants was similar across S. alfredii monoculture or co-planting with ryegrass or castor, except enhanced Pb removal in S. alfredii and ryegrass co-planting treatment. Co-planting of S. alfredii with ryegrass or castor significantly enhanced the pyrene and anthracene dissipation as compared to that in the bare soil or S. alfredii monoculture. This appears to be due to the increased soil microbial population and activities in both co-planting treatments. Co-planting of S. alfredii with ryegrass or castor provides a promising strategy to mitigate both metal and PAH contaminants from co-contaminated soils.     

印度芥菜-苜蓿间作对镉胁迫的生态响应

采用温室盆栽试验,研究了重金属镉（Cd）胁迫对印度芥菜和苜蓿间作下的土壤-植物系统的影响,同时对苜蓿的Cd饲用安全进行了评估.结果表明：在土壤Cd含量为0.37～20.37 mg·kg^-1范围内,与单作印度芥菜和苜蓿相比,间作使印度芥菜生物量降低了0.4%～11.8%,而使苜蓿生物量提高了55.3%~70.0%.土壤有效Cd主要受土壤全量Cd和种植植物种类的影响,种植方式对其影响不大.在土壤Cd含量为5.37 mg·kg^-1时,间作印度芥菜地上部Cd含量较单作提高了14.5%,而间作苜蓿地上部Cd含量较单作降低了57.1%;此时,单作和间作苜蓿地上部Cd含量分别为0.21和0.09 mg·kg^-1,均未超过饲料卫生限定标准(0.5 mg·kg^-1).在土壤Cd含量为10.37～20.37 mg·kg^-1范围内,虽然单作和间作苜蓿Cd含量均超过饲料卫生限定标准,但间作种植方式仍然使苜蓿地上部Cd含量较单作降低了2.8%～48.3%,印度芥菜地上部Cd含量也较单作降低了1.1%～48.6%.不论单作还是间作印度芥菜的Cd转运系数都远高于苜蓿.     

玉米与籽粒苋不同种植模式下植物生长及Cd累积特征

为实现Cd污染农田边生产边修复的目标,采用田间原位修复的方式,将玉米与籽粒苋在Cd污染农田中以5种不同的间作模式种植: 交替宽窄行玉米宽行间作单行籽粒苋(T₁)、交替宽窄行玉米宽行间作双行籽粒苋(T₂)、等行距双行玉米间作单行籽粒苋(T₃)、等行距双行玉米间作双行籽粒苋(T₄)、玉米/籽粒苋等4行距间作(T₅),并以玉米(CK₁)和籽粒苋(CK₂)单作种植作为对照,探究不同间作结构配置对作物与超富集植物生长及Cd累积特征的影响.结果表明: 1)与CK₁相比,各间作模式单株玉米的籽粒产量呈增加趋势;T₁间作模式玉米的籽粒产量较CK₁增加10.5%,T₄和T₅间作模式玉米的籽粒产量较CK₁分别减少6.3%和5.4%,T₂和T₃间作模式基本稳产;间作籽粒苋地上部单株生物量及单位面积产量较CK₂分别显著减少69.5%～95.7%和83.9%～96.9%. 2)各间作模式玉米籽粒Cd含量较CK₁呈减少趋势,而间作籽粒苋Cd含量较CK₂呈增加趋势. 3)与CK₂相比,各间作模式籽粒苋的富集系数、转运系数、有效转运系数均呈增加趋势;间作籽粒苋地上部Cd的单株及单位面积提取量较CK₂分别显著减少40.4%～86.7%和70.4%～88.9%;各间作模式玉米与籽粒苋地上部Cd的单位面积提取总量高于单作玉米,但低于单作籽粒苋. 4)各间作模式玉米根际土有效态Cd含量及籽粒苋根际土总Cd、有效态Cd含量分别较单作玉米及单作籽粒苋呈增加趋势,但对非根际土没有显著影响.本研究中,T₁间作模式有利于玉米籽粒产量的提高,T₅间作模式有利于籽粒苋Cd提取量的最大化.     

SpHMA1 is a chloroplast cadmium exporter protecting photochemical reactions in the Cd hyperaccumulator Sedum plumbizincicola

Sedum plumbizincicola is able to hyperaccumulate cadmium (Cd), a nonessential and highly toxic metal, in the above‐ground tissues, but the mechanisms for its Cd hypertolerance are not fully understood. Here, we show that the heavy metal ATPase 1 (SpHMA1) of S. plumbizincicola plays an important role in chloroplast Cd detoxification. Compared with the HMA1 ortholog in the Cd nonhyperaccumulating ecotype of Sedum alfredii, the expression of SpHMA1 in the leaves of S. plumbizincicola was >200 times higher. Heterologous expression of SpHMA1 in Saccharomyces cerevisiae increased Cd sensitivity and Cd transport activity in the yeast cells. The SpHMA1 protein was localized to the chloroplast envelope. SpHMA1 RNA interference transgenic plants and CRISPR/Cas9‐induced mutant lines showed significantly increased Cd accumulation in the chloroplasts compared with wild‐type plants. Chlorophyll fluorescence imaging analysis revealed that the photosystem II of SpHMA1 knockdown and knockout lines suffered from a much higher degree of Cd toxicity than wild type. Taken together, these results suggest that SpHMA1 functions as a chloroplast Cd exporter and protects photosynthesis by preventing Cd accumulation in the chloroplast in S. plumbizincicola and hyperexpression of SpHMA1 is an important component contributing to Cd hypertolerance in S. plumbizincicola.     

Phytoextraction of Cd and Zn from agricultural soils by Salix ssp. and intercropping of Salix caprea and Arabidopsis halleri

Contamination of agricultural topsoils with Cd above guideline values is of concern in many countries throughout the world. Extraction of metals from contaminated soils using high-biomass, metal-accumulating Salix sp. has been proposed as a low-cost, gentle remediation strategy, but reasonable phytoextraction rates remain to be demonstrated. In an outdoor pot experiment we assessed the phytoextraction potential for Cd and Zn of four willow species (Salix caprea, S. fragilis, S. × smithiana, S. × dasyclados) and intercropping of S. caprea with the hyperaccumulator Arabidopsis halleri on three moderately contaminated, agricultural soils. Large concentrations of Cd (250 mg kg⁻¹) and Zn (3,300 mg kg⁻¹) were determined in leaves of Salix × smithiana grown on a soil containing 13.4 mg kg⁻¹ Cd and 955 mg kg⁻¹ Zn, resulting in bioaccumulation factors of 27 (Cd) and 3 (Zn). Total removal of up to 20% Cd and 5% Zn after three vegetation periods were shown for Salix × smithiana closely followed by S. caprea, S. fragilis and S. × dasyclados. While total Cd concentrations in soils were reduced by up to 20%, 1 M NH₄NO₃-extractable metal concentrations did not significantly decrease within 3 years. Intercropping of S. caprea and A. halleri partly increased total removal of Zn, but did not enhance total Cd extraction compared to single plantings of S. caprea after two vegetation periods.     

桑树根际土壤微生物对间作和施氮的响应

利用Biolog-Ecoplate^TM结合主成分与冗余分析法,研究与苜蓿间作和施氮对桑树根际土壤微生物功能多样性及其与环境因子的影响.结果表明: 与单作无氮相比,单作施氮和间作(无氮和施氮)明显降低桑树根际土壤pH值,显著提高有机质含量、有效氮、含水量和过氧化物酶、脲酶的活性.同时,单作施氮和间作(无氮和施氮)提高了桑树根际土壤微生物的AWCD值、多样性指数和利用碳源比例,且间作施氮增加其提高的程度.主成分分析表明,施氮和间作改变了根际土壤微生物利用碳源强度和种类,其中单作施氮和与间作无氮处理的碳源利用情况相似,但后者对衣康酸和D-葡糖胺酸的利用率(>4%)显著高于前者.冗余分析表明,单作无氮桑树根际土壤微生物多样性与土壤多酚氧化酶活性呈正相关,与土壤含水量呈负相关.单作施氮与间作无氮处理的桑树根际微生物多样性与土壤pH值和含水量呈显著正相关,与土壤氮素营养呈负相关.间作施氮处理的桑树根际微生物多样性与土壤氮素营养呈正相关,而与土壤pH值呈显著负相关.     

玉米-大豆间作和施氮对玉米产量及农艺性状的影响

为研究玉米-大豆间作模式和施氮水平对玉米产量、主要农艺性状及生长动态的影响,进行2个种植模式(玉米单作和玉米-大豆间作)和2个施氮水平(0 kg/hm2,150 kg/hm2)的双因素随机区组试验,以期揭示施氮和间作对玉米产量的影响规律,为提高玉米-大豆间作系统产量提供一定的理论依据。研究结果表明:(1)与不施氮相比,施氮显著增加了春秋两季间作玉米产量,分别达到23.81%和40.99%。施氮处理下的间作玉米地上部生物量较不施氮提高了29.91%,单作模式下显著提高了40.34%,两者差异均达到显著水平。(2)与不施氮相比,施氮150 kg/hm2条件下春玉米单作和间作模式百粒重分别提高了18.92%和19.23%,秋玉米单作和间作模式百粒重分别提高了31.03%和32.75%,差异均达到显著水平。与不施氮相比,施氮150 kg/hm2条件下,单作和间作模式均显著提高秋玉米穗长。与不施氮相比,施氮150 kg/hm2条件下,单作秋玉米的穗粗提高了18.67%,差异显著。(3)施氮和间作均能促进玉米干物质累积、提高株高和叶绿素(SPAD值),且表现为施氮效果高于间作效果。总体来看,种植模式和施氮水平对玉米产量、主要农艺性状和生长动态均有一定影响,且施氮效果优于间作效果。由于土壤具有一定的供氮能力,而间作豆科能为玉米供给一定量的氮素,故对于春玉米而言,施氮效果仅在百粒重中表现,随着土壤原有氮素被玉米吸收利用减少后,供氮能力下降,在秋玉米中施氮效果显著提高。     

西北半干旱区紫花苜蓿-小黑麦间作对根际土壤养分和细菌群落的影响

我国西北半干旱区土地贫瘠,土壤pH和碳酸盐含量高,容易形成盐碱地,抑制土壤微生物活性,导致土壤养分匮乏。为了改善西北干旱地区土壤健康状况,本研究通过连续3年田间试验,探讨了紫花苜蓿-小黑麦间作对根际土壤养分和根际土壤细菌群落结构的影响。结果表明: 根际土壤中,间作紫花苜蓿有机质含量显著大于单作紫花苜蓿,而pH及速效钾含量显著低于单作紫花苜蓿;间作小黑麦有机质、碱解氮、有效磷及速效钾含量均显著大于单作小黑麦。细菌序列数、种群分类单元(OTU)、丰富度和多样性均表现为间作大于单作。在门水平上,变形菌门和拟杆菌门分别占总分类单元的31.1%～33.4%和22.4%～32.2%,且间作下拟杆菌门比例高于单作。放线菌门数量在单作下显著大于间作,酸杆菌门数量在小黑麦间作下显著大于单作,疣微菌门数量在紫花苜蓿间作下显著大于单作。在属水平上,噬冷菌属、黄杆菌属、Gp6和Chryseolinea数量均表现为单作大于间作,纤维弧菌属相反。相关性分析表明,变形菌门、拟杆菌门与pH呈显著负相关,拟杆菌门与有机质、全氮、碱解氮呈显著正相关;而绿弯菌门、浮霉菌、酸杆菌门、疣微菌门和芽单胞菌门与有机质和碱解氮呈显著负相关。紫花苜蓿-小黑麦间作是改善西北半干旱区土壤的一种有效措施。     

玉米/花生间作对土壤微生物和土壤养分状况的影响

通过大田试验,研究了玉米/花生间作对玉米和花生根区土壤微生物和土壤养分状况的影响.结果表明：与单作相比,间作能显著提高玉米和花生根区的土壤细菌数量;间作花生根区土壤真菌和放线菌数量与单作无显著差异;间作玉米根区土壤真菌和放线菌数量比单作明显提高;间作作物根区微生物群落功能多样性和代谢活性比单作有所改善.玉米/花生间作不同程度提高了整个间作系统根区的土壤碱解氮、速效磷、有机质含量及EC值,其中,间作玉米根区土壤养分的增加更为明显,说明玉米/花生间作可以较明显地改善两种作物根区的微生物和养分状况,土壤微生态环境的改善又会促进作物地上部的生长.     

Enhanced Cd extraction of oilseed rape (Brassica napus) by plant growth-promoting bacteria isolated from Cd hyperaccumulator Sedum alfredii Hance

Four plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) were used as study materials, among them two heavy metal-tolerant rhizosphere strains SrN1 (Arthrobacter sp.) and SrN9 (Bacillus altitudinis) were isolated from rhizosphere soil, while two endophytic strains SaN1 (Bacillus megaterium) and SaMR12 (Sphingomonas) were identified from roots of the cadmium (Cd)/zinc (Zn) hyperaccumulator Sedum alfredii Hance. A pot experiment was carried out to investigate the effects of these PGPB on plant growth and Cd accumulation of oilseed rape (Brassica napus) plants grown on aged Cd-spiked soil. The results showed that the four PGPB significantly boosted oilseed rape shoot biomass production, improved soil and plant analyzer development (SPAD) value, enhanced Cd uptake of plant and Cd translocation to the leaves. By fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) and green fluorescent protein (GFP), we demonstrated the studied S. alfredii endophytic bacterium SaMR12 were able to colonize successfully in the B. napus roots. However, all four PGPB could increase seed Cd accumulation. Due to its potential to enhance Cd uptake by the plant and to restrict Cd accumulation in the seeds, SaMR12 was selected as the most promising microbial partner of B. napus when setting up a plant–microbe fortified remediation system.     

Physiological responses to Cd and Zn in two Cd/Zn hyperaccumulating Thlaspi species

In a model hyperaccumulation study a Cd/Zn hyperaccumulator Thlaspi caerulescens accession Ganges and a recently reported Cd/Zn hyperaccumulator Thlaspi praecox grown in increasing Cd and Zn concentrations in the substrate and in field collected polluted soil were compared. Plant biomass, concentrations of Cd and Zn, total chlorophylls and anthocyanins, antioxidative stress parameters and activities of selected antioxidative enzymes were compared. Increasing Cd, but not Zn in the substrate resulted in the increase of biomass of roots and shoots of T. praecox and T. caerulescens. The two species hyperaccumulated Cd in the shoots to a similar extent, whereas T. caerulescens accumulated more Zn in the shoots than T. praecox. Cadmium amendment decreased total chlorophyll concentration and glutathione reductase activity, and increased non-protein thiols concentration only in T. praecox, suggesting that it is less tolerant to Cd than T. caerulescens. In the field-contaminated soil, T. caerulescens accumulated higher Cd concentrations; but as T. praecox produced higher biomass, both species have similar ability to extract Cd.