Metal-immobilizing Pseudomonas taiwanensis WRS8 reduces heavy metal accumulation in Coriandrum sativum by changing the metal immobilization–related bacterial population abundances

Metal-immobilizing bacteria play a critical role in metal accumulation in vegetables. However, little is known concerning the mechanisms involved in bacteria-induced reduced metal availability and uptake in vegetables. In this study, the impacts of metal-immobilizing Pseudomonas taiwanensis WRS8 on the plant biomass, Cd and Pb availability and uptake in two coriander ( Coriandrum sativum L.) cultivars, and bacterial community structure were investigated in the polluted soil. Strain WRS8 increased the biomass of two coriander cultivars by 25–48% and reduced Cd and Pb contents in the edible tissues by 40–59% and available Cd and Pb contents in the rhizosphere soils by 11.1–15.2%, compared with the controls. Strain WRS8 significantly increased the pH values and relative abundances of the dominant populations of Sphingomonas , Pseudomonas , Gaiellales , Streptomyces , Frankiales , Bradyrhizobium , and Luteimonas , while strain WRS8 significantly decreased the relative abundances of the dominant populations of Gemmatimonadaceae , Nitrospira , Haliangium , Paenibacillus , Massilia , Bryobacter , and Rokubacteriales and the rare bacterial populations of Enterorhabdus , Roseburia , Luteibacter , and Planifilum in the rhizosphere soils, compared with the controls. Significantly negative correlations were observed between the available metal concentrations and the abundances of Pseudomonas , Luteimonas , Frankiales , and Planifilum . These results implied that strain WRS8 could affect the abundances of the dominant and rare bacterial populations involved in metal immobilization, resulting in increased pH values and decreased metal availability and uptake in the vegetables in the contaminated soil. Graphical Abstract