Abstract
Military activities have worldwide introduced toxic explosives into the environment with considerable effects on soil and plant-associated microbiota. Fortunately, these microorganisms, and their collective metabolic activities, can be harnessed for site restoration via in situ phytoremediation. We characterized the bacterial communities inhabiting the bulk soil and rhizosphere of sycamore maple (Acer pseudoplatanus) in two chronically 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) polluted soils. Three hundred strains were isolated, purified and characterized, a majority of which showed multiple plant growth promoting (PGP) traits. Several isolates showed high nitroreductase enzyme activity and concurrent TNT-transformation. A 12-member bacterial consortium, comprising selected TNT-detoxifying and rhizobacterial strains, significantly enhanced TNT removal from soil compared to non-inoculated plants, increased root and shoot weight, and the plants were less stressed than the un-inoculated plants as estimated by the responses of antioxidative enzymes. The sycamore maple tree (SYCAM) culture collection is a significant resource of plant-associated strains with multiple PGP and catalytic properties, available for further genetic and phenotypic discovery and use in field applications.