Abstract
Mesorhizobium strain RC3, isolated from chickpea nodules, tolerated chromium up to 500 μg/ml and reduced it by 90% at pH 7 after 120 h. It produced plant growth-promoting substances, both in the presence and absence of chromium. Strain RC3 produced 35 μg indole acetic acid/ml in Luria Bertani broth with 100 mg tryptophan/ml, which decreased with an increase in chromium concentration. Chromium application to soil at 136 mg/kg was toxic to chickpea plants but when RC3 at 136 mg/kg was also added, it increased the dry matter accumulation, number of nodules, seed yield and grain protein by 71, 86, 36 and 16%, respectively, compared to non-inoculated plants. Nitrogen in roots and shoots were increased by 46 and 40%, respectively, at 136 mg Cr/kg. The bio-inoculant decreased the uptake of chromium by 14, 34 and 29% in roots, shoots and grains, respectively.
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Wani, P.A., Khan, M.S. & Zaidi, A. Chromium-reducing and plant growth-promoting Mesorhizobium improves chickpea growth in chromium-amended soil. Biotechnol Lett 30, 159–163 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10529-007-9515-2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10529-007-9515-2