A field study of cadmium phytoremediation by
Ocimum gratissimum
L. and the potential enhancement by
two cadmium-resistant bacteria,
Ralstonia
sp. TISTR 2219
and
Arthrobacter
sp. TISTR 2220, were explored in a
cadmium-polluted agricultural area. The results demonstrated
the ability of one of the bacterial strains to promote
cadmium accumulation in
O. gratissimum L. planted in soil
with cadmium concentrations till 65.2 mg kg
-1. After
transplantation in contaminated soil for 2 months, soil
inoculation with
Arthrobacter sp. enhanced cadmium accumulation
in the roots, above-ground tissues, and whole
plant of
O. gratissimum L. by 1.2-fold, 1.4-fold, and 1.1-
fold, respectively, compared with the untreated control.
The presence of
Arthrobacter sp. in soil facilitated cadmium
phytoremediation in
O. gratissimum L. similar to
that of an EDTA application. Seeds of
O. gratissimum L.
grown in polluted soil contained undetectable to negligible
concentrations of cadmium. Significant increases in the
bioconcentration and translocation factors of
O. gratissimum
L. were observed in
Arthrobacter sp.-inoculated
plants at only 2 months post-transplant compared with the
uninoculated control. The highest percentage of cadmium
removal was found in soil used to cultivate EDTA-treated
O. gratissimum L., followed by an
Arthrobacter sp.-
inoculated plant. Our findings suggest that the synergistic
use of
Arthrobacter sp. with
O. gratissimum L., an essential
oil-producing crop, could be a feasible economic and
environmental option for the reclamation of cadmiumpolluted
areas.