Sete da Cruz, R.M.; Ferreira, H.; Jaski, J.M.; Vieira, M.C.E.; Pinc, M.M.; de Souza, S.G.H.; Alberton, O. Growth and Phytochemistry of Cymbopogon citratus Stapf Inoculated with Plant Growth-Promoting Bacteria under Different Lead Levels. Plants2024, 13, 944.
Sete da Cruz, R.M.; Ferreira, H.; Jaski, J.M.; Vieira, M.C.E.; Pinc, M.M.; de Souza, S.G.H.; Alberton, O. Growth and Phytochemistry of Cymbopogon citratus Stapf Inoculated with Plant Growth-Promoting Bacteria under Different Lead Levels. Plants 2024, 13, 944.
Sete da Cruz, R.M.; Ferreira, H.; Jaski, J.M.; Vieira, M.C.E.; Pinc, M.M.; de Souza, S.G.H.; Alberton, O. Growth and Phytochemistry of Cymbopogon citratus Stapf Inoculated with Plant Growth-Promoting Bacteria under Different Lead Levels. Plants2024, 13, 944.
Sete da Cruz, R.M.; Ferreira, H.; Jaski, J.M.; Vieira, M.C.E.; Pinc, M.M.; de Souza, S.G.H.; Alberton, O. Growth and Phytochemistry of Cymbopogon citratus Stapf Inoculated with Plant Growth-Promoting Bacteria under Different Lead Levels. Plants 2024, 13, 944.
Abstract
Soil contamination with toxic heavy metals, such as lead (Pb), is a critical environmental issue with adverse effects on ecosystems. Cymbopogon citratus, known as lemongrass, is a medicinal plant with phytoremediation potential for Pb-contaminated soils, besides producing essential oil (EO) and bioactive compounds. Azospirillum brasilense is a plant growth promoting bacteria, and its inoculation into the soil can benefit plants in many ways, such as increased root growth and improved nutrient absorption. This study aimed to investigate the phytochemistry of lemongrass inoculated with A. brasilense and grown in Pb-contaminated soil to assess its responses to inoculation under different Pb levels. The experimental design was completely randomized in a 2 x 5 factorial scheme: two levels of A. brasilense (absence or presence) and five Pb levels (0, 50, 100, 300, and 500 mg Pb kg–1 of soil), totaling 60 experimental plots in ten treatments with six replicates. After four months of treatment, was analyzed total and reducing sugars, total phenolic content, flavonoids, antioxidant activity, antioxidant enzymes, proline, and EO content and composition. Soil Pb levels and A. brasilense inoculation affected phytochemical in lemongrass plants. Azospirillum inoculation reduced total sugars in the roots at all soil Pb levels, while increasing Pb levels favored a rise in sugar contents. There was an increase in flavonoid content in treatments associated with Pb and inoculated with A. brasilense. Antioxidant capacity was lower at lower Pb levels, regardless of bacterial inoculation. Enzymatic response was mainly affected by Pb concentrations between 50 and 100 mg kg–1 soil. EO content was influenced by soil Pb levels, with higher EO production at 500 mg Pb kg–1 soil and without A. brasilense inoculation. Overall, lemongrass cultivation in Pb-contaminated areas can be an alternative for phytoremediation and EO production for the industry. Moreover, A. brasilense inoculation proved to be beneficial in mitigating stress caused by high Pb concentrations in contaminated soils.
Biology and Life Sciences, Agricultural Science and Agronomy
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This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
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