Isolation and functional characterization of siderophore-producing lead- and cadmium-resistant Pseudomonas putida KNP9.

Heavy metals, being phytotoxic, cause growth inhibition and even plant death. Siderophore-producing bacterial strain KNP9 is growth promoting and has been isolated from Panki Power Plant, Kanpur, India. It simulated significant (p > 5%) root and shoot growth of mung bean to the extent of 16.48% and 28.80%, respectively in the presence of CdCl(2) (110 microM: ). However, the increase in root and shoot growth was 20% and 19.5%, respectively, in the presence of (CH(3)COO)(2)Pb (660 microM: ). Moreover, concentration of accumulated lead and cadmium in root and shoot was also reduced in the presence of this isolate ranging from 37.5 to 93.19%. A moderate reduction in chlorophyll content (39.14%) in the presence of 110 microM: CdCl(2) was rescued by bioinoculant KNP9. However, the 19.58% decrease in chlorophyll content in the case of lead acetate remained unchanged even in the presence of KNP9. Nevertheless, 16S ribosomal DNA (rDNA) sequencing identified KNP9 as a strain of Pseudomonas putida.