Endophytic Bacterial Communities Facilitate the Dissipation of Phthalates in Soil and Their Biodegradation in <i>Oryza Sativa</i> L.

The role of endophytic bacterial communities in aiding the degradation of organic pollutants like phthalates (PAEs) in soil and <i>in planta</i>, as well as their effects on pollutant accumulation in plants, remains unclear. Herein, microcosm experiments were conducted with rice cultivated in agricultural soil polluted with di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) and further verified with PAE-degrading endophytic consortia. Soil indigenous microbes, especially PAE-degrading bacteria, significantly contributed to DEHP dissipation in soil and diminished DEHP accumulation in rice. Endophytic bacterial communities participated in DEHP degradation <i>in planta</i>, as validated by efficient DEHP degradation by <i>in vitro</i> culturable endophytic consortia and abundant PAE-degrading genes. The inoculation of PAE-degrading endophytic consortia demonstrated their immigration between soil and roots (especially in low-PAE-accumulating cultivar), which enhanced DEHP degradation in soil and in planta and subsequently reduced rice PAE accumulation. This study underscores the facilitative role of endophytic bacterial communities in PAE degradation and in lowering PAE accumulation in crops.