Culturable bacteria from Zn- and Cd-accumulating Salix caprea with differential effects on plant growth and heavy metal availability.
OBJECTIVE
To characterize bacteria associated with Zn/Cd-accumulating Salix caprea regarding their potential to support heavy metal phytoextraction.


RESULTS
Three different media allowed the isolation of 44 rhizosphere strains and 44 endophytes, resistant to Zn/Cd and mostly affiliated with Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria and Bacteroidetes/Chlorobi. 1-Aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid deaminase (ACCD), indole acetic acid and siderophore production were detected in 41, 23 and 50% of the rhizosphere isolates and in 9, 55 and 2% of the endophytes, respectively. Fifteen rhizosphere bacteria and five endophytes were further tested for the production of metal-mobilizing metabolites by extracting contaminated soil with filtrates from liquid cultures. Four Actinobacteria mobilized Zn and/or Cd. The other strains immobilized Cd or both metals. An ACCD- and siderophore-producing, Zn/Cd-immobilizing rhizosphere isolate (Burkholderia sp.) and a Zn/Cd-mobilizing Actinobacterium endophyte were inoculated onto S. caprea. The rhizosphere isolate reduced metal uptake in roots, whereas the endophyte enhanced metal accumulation in leaves. Plant growth was not promoted.


CONCLUSIONS
Metal mobilization experiments predicted bacterial effects on S. caprea more reliably than standard tests for plant growth-promoting activities.


CONCLUSIONS
Bacteria, particularly Actinobacteria, associated with heavy metal-accumulating Salix have the potential to increase metal uptake, which can be predicted by mobilization experiments and may be applicable in phytoremediation.
AIT Austrian Institute of Technology GmbH, Bioresources Unit, Seibersdorf, Austria.
M
M
Kuffner
S
S
De Maria
M
M
Puschenreiter
K
K
Fallmann
G
G
Wieshammer
M
M
Gorfer
J
J
Strauss
A R
AR
Rivelli
A
A
Sessitsch
D001419:Bacteria / Q000145:classification / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000378:metabolism*; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D044822:Biodiversity; D019755:Carbon-Carbon Lyases / Q000378:metabolism; D007210:Indoleacetic Acids / Q000378:metabolism; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000378:metabolism*; D010802:Phylogeny; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology*; D058441:Rhizosphere; D032108:Salix / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000382:microbiology*; D017262:Siderophores / Q000378:metabolism; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000378:metabolism*
D007210:Indoleacetic Acids; D019216:Metals, Heavy; D017262:Siderophores; D012989:Soil Pollutants; C030737:indoleacetic acid; C033634:1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate deaminase; D019755:Carbon-Carbon Lyases