Bio-Remediation of Pb-contaminated Soil Cultivated With Faba Bean Via Application of Rhizobacteria Bacillus amyloliquefaciens subsp. plantarum UCMB 5033

Bio-remediation of Faba bean (Vicia faba cv. luz deotono) plants growing under lead (Pb) contaminated soil using the bacteria strain Bacillus amyloliquefaciens subsp. plantarum UCMB 5033 was tested under three Pb concentrations (2000mg/L 0.5%, 2500mg/L 1.0%, 3000mg/L 5%). Growth parameters (plant height, plant fresh weight, and plant dry weight of the Pb-treated bacteria inoculated Faba bean plants showed significant increases compared to the Pb-treated non-inoculated Faba bean plants under Pb concentration of 0.5% and 1.0% giving 5.76%, 50.43% increases in height, 42.68%, 253.36% increase in fresh wt., and 237.69%, 325.97% increase in dry wt. Regarding the plant nutrient, NPK contents the non-inoculated Pb–treated plants gave significantly the highest N content under all Pb concentration levels and the highest PK contents under Pb concentrations 0.5 and 1.0% compared to the bio-remediated plants. But the bio-remediated plants dominated the non-inoculated Faba bean plants in absorbing the highest PK contents under a Pb concentration of 5.0%. Regarding Pb absorption, the bio-remediated plants dominated the non-inoculated Faba bean plants and absorbed the highest Pb especially under 1.0% Pb concentration. Bacillus amyloliquefaciens subsp. plantarum UCMB 5033 may be considered a bio-remediator for Faba bean plants grown under Pb contaminated soils.