PGPR-Assisted Phytoremediation of Cadmium:An Advancement towards Clean Environment

One of the major problems, that the world is facing today due to rapid industrialization is environmental pollution caused by several factors, including heavy metals. Among the heavy metals, cadmium is a hazardous carcinogenic element. From contaminated soil, cadmium enters the plants through the ischolar_mains and is accumulated in the harvestable (edible) parts, and thus gains entry into the food cycle. Phytoremediation plays a beneficial role in the remediation of cadmium contamination from soil, but becomes less effective with increasing toxicity. Even hyperaccumulator plants fail to perform under these conditions. Plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), inhabitants of the plant rhizosphere, play a supporting role and promote bioremediation of soil by accumulation or transformation of contaminants, thereby enhancing plant growth and development. This article focuses on cadmium contamination and PGPR-assisted phyto-remediation of cadmium-contaminated soils.