Bacillus species enhance growth parameters of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) in chromium stressed soils.

Pollution of the agricultural land by the toxic chromium is a global threat that has accelerated dramatically since the beginning of industrial revolution. Toxic chromium affects both the microbial diversity as well as reduces the growth of the plants. Understanding the effect of the chromium reducing and plant growth promoting rhizobacteria on chickpea crop will be useful. Chromium reducing and plant growth promoting Bacillus species PSB10 significantly improved growth, nodulation, chlorophyll, leghaemoglobin, seed yield and grain protein of chickpea crop grown in the presence of different concentrations of chromium compared to the plants grown in the absence of bio-inoculant. The strain also reduced the uptake of chromium in roots, shoots and grains of chickpea crop compared to plants grown in the absence of bio-inoculant. This study thus suggested that the Bacillus species PSB10 due to its intrinsic abilities of growth promotion and attenuation of the toxic effects of chromium could be exploited for remediation of chromium from chromium contaminated sites.