Effect of heavy metals on growth and PGPR activity of Bacillus tequilensis and Kosakonia radicincitans: its potential use in phytoremediation

SARAN, A; FERNANDEZ, L; MERINI, LJ

Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires

Congreso; Reunión Conjunta de Sociedades de BioCiencias; 2017

SAIB

The capacity of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) for improving plant development, either by synthesizing compounds that modulate their physiology, facilitating the uptake of nutrients or protecting them from pathogens is well known. However, less is known about how heavy metals influence these mechanisms. In previous works, Helianthus petiolaris was reported as novel heavy metals tolerant plant species and excellent candidate for soil phytoremediation in semiarid environments. Also, Bacillus tequilensis and Kosakonia radicincitans strains were isolated from H. petiolaris as heavy metals tolerant and plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria. In this context the aim of this work was to assess the influence of heavy metals on the growth of these strains, as well as its plant growth-promoting capabilities. The phosphate solubilization, phytohormones production, nitrogen fixation, siderophore production, biofilm formation, production of acylated homoserine lactones (AHL) and growth inhibition capacity on Alternaria sp. (endophytic fungi of H. petiolaris) were assessed, in order to understand the complex plant-PGPR-heavy metals interaction during a phytoremediation process.