Phytoremediation and purple non sulfur bacteria

Abstract

Microorganisms are vital for agriculture as they possess biochemical reactions required for the quality and productivity of agricultural soils. Bacteria are the most diverse and intense group of microorganims and essential members of soil microorganisms as they produce phytohormones, secondary metabolites and protect plants against diseases. Bacterial diversity and amount is crucial for cycling of elements and nutrients in soil, therefore are one of the factors determining the fertility of soil. Purple non sulfur bacteria are a non taxonomic group of bacteria which are Gram negative bacteria having many growth modes. They enrich soil by fixing carbon and atmospheric nitrogen and making them available for plant uptake. This way these bacteria can be employed as biofertilizers in agriculture to enhance growth of different ground and surface plant parts. This review summarizes the properties of purple non sulfur bacteria and their use in plant growth enhancement and bioremediation. © 2021 Nova Science Publishers, Inc.