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Exploring Recent Biotechnological Advances for Improved Phytoremediation of Soil Contaminants
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Exploring Recent Biotechnological Advances for Improved Phytoremediation of Soil Contaminants

A special issue of Plants (ISSN 2223-7747). This special issue belongs to the section "Plant–Soil Interactions".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 September 2024) | Viewed by 7461

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Karthik Chinnannan

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Biology, West Virginia State University, Institute, WV 25112-1000, USA
Interests: phytoremediation; plant–microbial interaction; PGPR; environmental microbiology
Prof. Dr. Padma Nimmakayala

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Biology, West Virginia State University, Institute, WV 25112-1000, USA
Interests: genomics; genetic diversity; abiotic stress; phytoremediation; breeding
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In recent years, the boom of the industrial revolution and modern agricultural practices has significantly improved living standards and ensured sustainable food production. However, these developmental processes are the direct and/or indirect source of various environmental contaminants such as heavy metals, organic pollutants, agrochemicals, and radionuclides, which affect food productivity and food safety through biomagnification. Therefore, the management of contaminated environments with these contaminants needs to be addressed by environmentalists and scientists at the foremost level. Conventionally, various physicochemical techniques have been used to remove the contaminants, but they are costly and create secondary contaminants.

Phytoremediation is an eco-friendly, sustainable, cost-effective management strategy for environmental clean-up. However, it has the disadvantage that plants may be affected by the toxicity of the contaminants when concentrations exceed the threshold level. Additionally, especially heavy metals are often found in soil in forms less bioavailable to plant roots. To overcome these shortcomings, current advances in various biological sciences such as metabolomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, etc., can aid in the characterization of metabolites, transcription factors, and stress-inducible proteins involved in heavy metal tolerance, which in turn can be used for developing heavy metal-tolerant crops. Other approaches include the utilization of beneficial microorganisms, biocompatible growth stimulants, and chelating agents to intensify and accelerate the phytoremediation rate.

Therefore, this Special Issue aims to understand how these recent scientific advancements can increase plant tolerance and modify the nature of the contaminants in the rhizosphere to favor enhanced extraction and transport in the roots and facilitate their translocation towards the aerial parts of the plant.

Dr. Karthik Chinnannan
Prof. Dr. Padma Nimmakayala
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Plants is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • phytoremediation
  • phytoextraction
  • hyperaccumulator plants
  • plant health
  • abiotic stress
  • heavy metals
  • organic pollutants
  • eco-friendly technologies
  • beneficial microorganisms
  • plant–microbial interaction
  • rhizosphere

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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15 pages, 2338 KiB  
Article
Biochar Organic Fertilizer Combined with Indigenous Microorganisms Enhances the Growth of Landscape Grass Cultivated in a Substrate Mixed with Iron Tailings and Mining Topsoil
by Xinyue Li, Xun Zhang, Jiaoyue Wang, Zhouli Liu, Hewei Song and Jing An
Plants 2024, 13(21), 3042; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13213042 - 30 Oct 2024
Viewed by 555
Abstract
Iron tailings from the mining process occupy vast land areas and pose a significant ecological risk. In order to reuse iron tailings resources and carry out in situ ecological restoration of a mine, in this study, a medium of mixed iron tailings and [...] Read more.
Iron tailings from the mining process occupy vast land areas and pose a significant ecological risk. In order to reuse iron tailings resources and carry out in situ ecological restoration of a mine, in this study, a medium of mixed iron tailings and mining topsoil (m:m = 3:1) was used to plant landscape grasses, including Lolium perenne L. (L. perenne), Pennisetum alopecuroides (L.) Spreng. (P. alopecuroides), Melilotus officinalis (L.) Lam. (M. officinalis), and Medicago sativa L. (M. sativa). Biochar and chicken manure were used as biochar organic fertilizers and indigenous microorganisms were isolated from the rhizosphere soil of tested grasses. They were applied to enhance landscape grass growth by regulating rhizosphere microbial communities and nutrient conditions. The results showed that the biochar organic fertilizers significantly promoted the growth of the four landscape grasses, notably P. alopecuroides, increasing plant height, root length, root weight, and leaf fresh weight by 169%, 60%, 211%, and 388%, respectively. Additionally, L. perenne exhibited the greatest height increase (10%) following the application of bacterial solutions. Moreover, indigenous bacterial solutions enhanced chlorophyll content and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) activity, with P. alopecuroides showing the highest chlorophyll increase of 58% and M. sativa exhibiting a 30.58% rise in PAL activity. The biochar organic fertilizer also significantly elevated soluble protein content in P. alopecuroides and M. sativa by 195% and 152%, respectively. It also effectively enhanced peroxidase (POD) activity in Poaceae grasses by 120% to 160%. After adding indigenous microorganisms, the rhizosphere soil of the landscape grass showed the highest Shannon–Wiener diversity index, reaching 3.561. The rhizosphere soil of M. officinalis had the highest microbial richness, with a value of 39. Additionally, the addition of indigenous microorganisms increased the nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium content of the four plants by 8–19%, 6–14%, and 8–18%, respectively. This study offers a new approach for managing mining waste and ecological restoration in mining areas. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Exploring Recent Biotechnological Advances for Improved Phytoremediation of Soil Contaminants)
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17 pages, 3429 KiB  
Article
Combined Application of Biochar and Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria Improves Heavy Metal and Drought Stress Tolerance in Zea mays
by Vadivel Anbuganesan, Ramasamy Vishnupradeep, L. Benedict Bruno, Krishnan Sharmila, Helena Freitas and Mani Rajkumar
Plants 2024, 13(8), 1143; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13081143 - 19 Apr 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2004
Abstract
Plants are often exposed to multiple stresses, including heavy metals (HM) and drought, which limit the plant growth and productivity. Though biochar or plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) have been widely used for alleviating HM or drought stress in plants, the study of the [...] Read more.
Plants are often exposed to multiple stresses, including heavy metals (HM) and drought, which limit the plant growth and productivity. Though biochar or plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) have been widely used for alleviating HM or drought stress in plants, the study of the effects of combined treatment with biochar and PGPR under simultaneous HM and drought stress is limited. This study investigated individual and combined effects of groundnut shell biochar (GS-BC) and PGPR Bacillus pseudomycoides strain ARN7 on Zea mays growth, physiology, and HM accumulation, along with their impact on soil enzymes under HM (Ni and Zn), drought, or HM+drought stress. It was observed that even under HM+drought stress, Z. mays growth, total chlorophyll, proteins, phenolics, and relative water contents were increased in response to combined GS-BC and ARN7 treatment. Furthermore, the combined treatment positively influenced plant superoxide dismutase, ascorbate peroxidase, and catalase activities, while reducing electrolyte leakage and phenolics, malondialdehyde, and proline under HM, drought, or HM+drought stress. Interestingly, the combined GS-BC and ARN7 treatment decreased HM accumulation and the bioaccumulation factor in Z. mays, highlighting that the combined treatment is suitable for improving HM phytostabilization. Additionally, GS-BC increased soil enzymatic activities and ARN7 colonization irrespective of HM and drought stress. As far as we know, this study is the first to illustrate that combined biochar and PGPR treatment could lessen the adverse effects of both HM and drought, suggesting that such treatment can be used in water-deficient HM-contaminated areas to improve plant growth and reduce HM accumulation in plants. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Exploring Recent Biotechnological Advances for Improved Phytoremediation of Soil Contaminants)
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13 pages, 2045 KiB  
Article
Hyperaccumulator Solanum nigrum L. Intercropping Reduced Rice Cadmium Uptake under a High-Bed and Low-Ditch Planting System
by Rakhwe Kama, Qingguang Ma, Farhan Nabi, Maimouna Aidara, Peiyi Huang, Zhencheng Li, Juxi He, Sekouna Diatta and Huashou Li
Plants 2023, 12(23), 4027; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12234027 - 30 Nov 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1405
Abstract
Anthropogenic activities have raised cadmium (Cd) concentrations in agricultural soil, emerging as a primary catalyst for the decline in crop yield. Intercropping of two or several plants is one technique among many Cd phytoremediation techniques that has gained enormous attention recently. However, the [...] Read more.
Anthropogenic activities have raised cadmium (Cd) concentrations in agricultural soil, emerging as a primary catalyst for the decline in crop yield. Intercropping of two or several plants is one technique among many Cd phytoremediation techniques that has gained enormous attention recently. However, the impact of cultivation modes on Cd movement in rice plants when intercropped with heavy metal (HM) hyperaccumulator plants remains unclear. Thus, this study was designed to explore the effects of cultivation modes and the intercropping of rice with Solanum nigrum L. on rice growth and Cd uptake in Cd-contaminated soil. The experimental design encompassed five treatments: dry cultivation of monocultured rice, monocultured Solanum nigrum L., and intercropped rice–Solanum nigrum L.; flood cultivation of monocultured rice; and intercropped rice–Solanum nigrum L. in a high-bed and low-ditch planting system. The results revealed a significant increase in rice growth when intercropped with Solanum nigrum L., with a notable increase of 18.32 g∙plant−1 observed in rice biomass in dry cultivation under the intercropping system. In contrast, a more modest increase of 3.67 g∙plant−1 was observed in the high-bed and low-ditch intercropped rice–Solanum nigrum L. mode. The soil total Cd was higher in dry cultivation of monocultured rice and Solanum nigrum L. compared to intercropped rice/Solanum nigrum L.-cultivated soil, with lower values recorded for intercropped rice/Solanum nigrum L. under the high-bed and low-ditch planting system. In contrast, no significant effect was noted on soil exchangeable Cd content based on the planting pattern and cultivation mode. Intercropping with Solanum nigrum L. demonstrated a significant reduction of Cd content in various rice tissues, particularly in roots at the maturity stage, while Cd content was reduced across all rice tissues under the high-bed and low-ditch planting system. The Cd content in the stem, leaves, and bran of monocropped rice was higher compared to intercropped rice. This study suggests that the rice–Solanum nigrum L. intercropping system effectively reduces rice Cd uptake, particularly under the high-bed and low-ditch planting system. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Exploring Recent Biotechnological Advances for Improved Phytoremediation of Soil Contaminants)
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Review

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19 pages, 1114 KiB  
Review
Current Status of Biotechnological Approaches to Enhance the Phytoremediation of Heavy Metals in India—A Review
by Selvaraj Barathi, Jintae Lee, Raja Venkatesan and Alexandre A. Vetcher
Plants 2023, 12(22), 3816; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12223816 - 9 Nov 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2732
Abstract
Rising waste construction, agricultural actions, and manufacturing sewages all contribute to heavy metal accumulation in water resources. Humans consume heavy metals-contaminated substances to make sustenance, which equally ends up in the food circle. Cleaning of these vital properties, along with the prevention of [...] Read more.
Rising waste construction, agricultural actions, and manufacturing sewages all contribute to heavy metal accumulation in water resources. Humans consume heavy metals-contaminated substances to make sustenance, which equally ends up in the food circle. Cleaning of these vital properties, along with the prevention of new pollution, has long been required to evade negative strength consequences. Most wastewater treatment techniques are widely acknowledged to be costly and out of the grasp of governments and small pollution mitigation businesses. Utilizing hyper-accumulator plants that are extremely resilient to heavy metals in the environment/soil, phytoremediation is a practical and promising method for eliminating heavy metals from contaminated environments. This method extracts, degrades, or detoxifies harmful metals using green plants. The three phytoremediation techniques of phytostabilization, phytoextraction, and phytovolatilization have been used extensively for soil remediation. Regarding their ability to be used on a wide scale, conventional phytoremediation methods have significant limitations. Hence, biotechnological attempts to change plants for heavy metal phytoremediation methods are extensively investigated in order to increase plant effectiveness and possible use of improved phytoremediation approaches in the country of India. This review focuses on the advances and significance of phytoremediation accompanied by the removal of various harmful heavy metal contaminants. Similarly, sources, heavy metals status in India, impacts on nature and human health, and variables influencing the phytoremediation of heavy metals have all been covered. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Exploring Recent Biotechnological Advances for Improved Phytoremediation of Soil Contaminants)
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