Enhanced remediation of bispyribac sodium by wheat (Triticum aestivum) and a bispyribac sodium degrading bacterial consortium (BDAM).

The use of plant-bacterial association is a promising approach for the enhanced remediation of pesticides. Generally, both rhizo- and endosphere bacteria assist their host plants to survive in the contaminated environment. In this work, we have studied the individual and combined effects of wheat (Triticum aestivum) and a previously optimized bispyribac sodium (BS) degrading bacterial consortium (BDAM) on the degradation of BS and plant biomass production. Results showed that the bacterial strains of the BDAM have successfully survived in the plant rhizo-as well as endosphere and enhanced degradation of BS and plant biomass. In soil spiked with 2 mg/kg and 5 mg/kg of BS and was planted and inoculated with BDAM (P_I) showed 100% degradation of BS both in rhizosphere soil and endosphere of the plant. However, during the same period (45 days) the degradation of BS was 96 and 90%, and 93 and 84% in inoculated but un-planted (I_UP) and planted but un-inoculated (P_UI) soils spiked with 2 and 5 mg/kg, respectively. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) analysis of the treated samples showed novel degradation products of BS. Based on the results, we concluded that plant-bacterial association is an efficient tool for enhanced remediation of BS contaminated soil and herbicide free crop production.