article · FUDMA Journal of Sciences
Lead contamination in agricultural soil lowers crop yields, reduces nutritional quality, and risks human health through bioaccumulation. To address this, four lead-resistant bacterial strains carrying the PbrABCT gene cluster were tested alongside a Lysinibacillus macroides US3 biostimulant to remediate contaminated soil for maize cultivation. The bacterial strains achieved between 82 and 85 percent lead removal compared with 41 percent in untreated controls. Subsequently planting maize with the liquid biostimulant boosted plant growth and biomass yield. In biostimulant-inoculated pots, lead uptake in maize tissue and residual lead in the soil fell to undetectable levels, whereas control pots showed 48 percent lead uptake and 53 percent residual soil lead. Combining lead-resistant bacteria with the US3 biostimulant demonstrates an effective microbial approach for restoring lead-stressed agricultural land.
Heavy metal contamination threatens food safety and agricultural productivity across the globe. By using beneficial soil bacteria to remove lead and prevent it from accumulating in staple crops like maize, this method offers a biological pathway to rehabilitate polluted soils. Such interventions can protect food chains, sustain farming livelihoods, and support the safe reuse of degraded agricultural land.
This work points towards microbial soil amendments and liquid biostimulants for land rehabilitation and agricultural clean-up. Potential users include environmental remediation contractors, agricultural extension bodies, and farmers operating on contaminated land. The research remains at an applied, pot-trial testing stage, requiring field-scale validation and formulation development before commercial deployment is viable.
AI-generated from the published abstract. Always read the original work before citing.
Lead pollution poses a formidable threat to agriculture, bioaccumulating in crops, and ultimately harming human health. Even low-level exposure can significantly reduce crop yields, diminish nutritional value, and precipitate economic losses and food insecurity. To combat this threat, we investigated the efficacy of a novel biostimulant, Lysinibacillus macroides US3, previously isolated from the rhizosphere of a plant with enhanced plant growth attributes to promote ecorestoration of a Pb-remediated soil. Four Pb-resistant bacterial (LRB) strains: Bacillus infantis K66, Halopseudomonas xiamenensis B13, Lysinibacillus fusiformis KAF67, and Pseudomonas spp. A27 harbouring the gene cluster PbrABCT were employed in the treatment of Pb contaminated soil. The treatment efficacy was remarkable, with final Pb removal percentages of 85%, 82%, 83%, and 83%, respectively while control had a 41% removal. To achieve ecorestoration and facilitate agricultural reuse of soil, maize seeds were planted in the treated soil, and 10% w/v of US3 biostimulant was introduced as liquid culture into the pots except the control pot. Post-cultivation analysis revealed enhanced plant growth and biomass yield in US3 inoculated pots, 48% Pb uptake by maize in control pots while undetected in inoculated pots, 53% residual Pb in control soil while undetected in inoculated soil. The synergistic application of Pb-resistant bacteria and US3 biostimulant effectively ecorestored Pb-stressed soil, demonstrating a promising approach for sustainable Pb mitigation. This study highlights the potential of microbial-based solutions for environmental remediation and agricultural sustainability.
This page summarises published work. The authoritative version sits with the publisher.
DOI: 10.33003/fjs-2026-1013-5345
Is something wrong with this record? Report it or request removal.
Discussion
Have you built on this work, tried to replicate it, or seen it applied in practice? Share what you know. Verified researchers and MARATTO™ domain experts can open a discussion, and any member can reply. Contributions are reviewed before they appear.
No discussion yet. Open the first thread.
New to MARATTO™? Create a free account.
