EFFICACY OF HEAVY METALS-TOLERANT PLANT GROWTH PROMOTING BACTERIAL CONSORTIUM FOR ALLEVIATING CADMIUM TOXICITY IN SPINACH

The pot experiment was undertaken at net house of the Micronutrient Research Scheme, Anand Agricultural University, B. A. College of Agriculture, Anand, during rabi season of the year 2021-2022.The experiment was laid out in completely randomized design (Factorial) with three replications.Cadmium is use individually in different level of concentration (Cd, 1.5, 3.0 and 6.0 mg/kg).Efficacy of bacterial inoculation (consortium of Pseudomonas azotoformans, Bacillus infantis, Bacillus megaterium and Micrococcus terreus) and FYM was under studied with different combination of tested heavy metals.Overall bacterial inoculation and FYM were found to promote growth and reduce the respective heavy metal toxicity in spinach plant.Since heavy metal contamination in agricultural lands is becoming serious environmental concern, the heavy metal-tolerant plant growth-promoting strains reported in this study can offer suitable economical and ecofriendly base for development of the bioremediation strategies.