Potential of Endophytic Bacteria in Heavy Metal and Pesticide Detoxification

Abstract

Heavy metal (HM) and pesticide contamination in the soil is of major concern in the present era. Both of these contaminants disturb soil microflora and adversely affect the growth and development of plants. The soil contamination can be reduced by ecofriendly techniques. The use of endophytic bacteria (EB) in the rhizosphere is one such technique where EB reduce the HM and pesticide contaminants in the soil. They can efficiently reduce the HM and pesticide concentration in the soil by enhancing the phytoremediating efficiency of plants. Moreover, EB can also degrade the pesticides in soil by producing various hormones and enzymes which ultimately result in promotion of the growth of plants. Hence, keeping in mind the efficiency of EB in reducing the HM and pesticide contamination in soil, the present review gives a detailed view of HM and pesticide detoxification by these bacteria.