Chapter 14
PGPR and Earthworm-Assisted
Phytoremediation of Heavy Metals
Pooja Sharma, Palak Bakshi, Jaspreet Kour, Arun Dev Singh,
Shalini Dhiman, Pardeep Kumar, Ibrahim, Ashutosh Sharma,
Bilal Ahmad Mir, and Renu Bhardwaj
Abstract The pronounced and major effects of contamination of the environment
with heavy metals and other xenobiotic compounds have become a major problem
worldwide. Soil contaminated with heavy metals poses serious threat to plants,
animals as well as human health. Heavy metals due to their toxicity reduces the
soil fertility, affects the plant photosynthetic efficiency, reduces yield of the crops,
and causes nutrient imbalance. Phytoremediation an eco-friendly, clean, and green
technology helps to remove contaminants from the polluted soils. The use of
beneficial microorganisms along with plants is considered as an effective method
for increasing the efficiency of remediation of contaminated soils. Earthworms also
play an important role in remediation process. Interaction of plants with microflora
plays a vital role in bioavailability of the metals and their bioaccumulation in plants.
Keywords Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria · Earthworms · Fungi · Heavy
metal · Plants
P. Sharma
Department of Botanical and Environmental Sciences, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar,
Punjab, India
Department of Microbiology, DAV University, Jalandhar, Punjab, India
P. Bakshi · J. Kour · A. D. Singh · S. Dhiman · P. Kumar · Ibrahim · R. Bhardwaj (*)
Department of Botanical and Environmental Sciences, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar,
Punjab, India
A. Sharma
Department of Agriculture Sciences, DAV University, Jalandhar, Punjab, India
B. A. Mir
Department of Botany, School of Life Sciences, Satellite Campus Kargil, University of
Kashmir, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India
© The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive licence to
Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2020
S. A. Bhat et al. (eds.), Earthworm Assisted Remediation of Effluents and Wastes,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-4522-1_14
227
PGPR and Earthworm-Assisted
Phytoremediation of Heavy Metals
Pooja Sharma, Palak Bakshi, Jaspreet Kour, Arun Dev Singh,
Shalini Dhiman, Pardeep Kumar, Ibrahim, Ashutosh Sharma,
Bilal Ahmad Mir, and Renu Bhardwaj
Abstract The pronounced and major effects of contamination of the environment
with heavy metals and other xenobiotic compounds have become a major problem
worldwide. Soil contaminated with heavy metals poses serious threat to plants,
animals as well as human health. Heavy metals due to their toxicity reduces the
soil fertility, affects the plant photosynthetic efficiency, reduces yield of the crops,
and causes nutrient imbalance. Phytoremediation an eco-friendly, clean, and green
technology helps to remove contaminants from the polluted soils. The use of
beneficial microorganisms along with plants is considered as an effective method
for increasing the efficiency of remediation of contaminated soils. Earthworms also
play an important role in remediation process. Interaction of plants with microflora
plays a vital role in bioavailability of the metals and their bioaccumulation in plants.
Keywords Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria · Earthworms · Fungi · Heavy
metal · Plants
P. Sharma
Department of Botanical and Environmental Sciences, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar,
Punjab, India
Department of Microbiology, DAV University, Jalandhar, Punjab, India
P. Bakshi · J. Kour · A. D. Singh · S. Dhiman · P. Kumar · Ibrahim · R. Bhardwaj (*)
Department of Botanical and Environmental Sciences, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar,
Punjab, India
A. Sharma
Department of Agriculture Sciences, DAV University, Jalandhar, Punjab, India
B. A. Mir
Department of Botany, School of Life Sciences, Satellite Campus Kargil, University of
Kashmir, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India
© The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive licence to
Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2020
S. A. Bhat et al. (eds.), Earthworm Assisted Remediation of Effluents and Wastes,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-4522-1_14
227