Testing the ability of Vetiveria zizanioides plants to bind cadmium and its influence on soil microbial diversity

Phytoremediation is an environmentally friendly and cost-effective approach for the remediation of heavy metals from contaminated environments. However, its effectiveness can be influenced by various factors, particularly the structure and diversity of soil microbial communities, which play a crucial role in enhancing or hindering the phytoremediation process. In this study, the remediation of cadmium-contaminated soil was investigated through the cultivation of Vetiveria zizanioides, examining its effects on the diversity of soil microbial communities. The concentration of Cd in roots and leaves reached more than 600 mg/kg DW and 400 mg/kg DW, respectively, at 60 mg/kg Cd treatment. Next-generation sequencing was used to characterize the soil microbial community. It was shown that the increased Cd contaminant from 20 mg/kg to 60 mg/kg of soil noticeably reduced the microbial count. A significant increase in species numbers was observed in the clean soil containing the V. zizanioides plants. In addition, soil samples from Cd-contaminated soil showed a considerable change in microbial structure at the genus level with the Sphingomonas bacteria becoming the most dominant genus against Cd-contamination.