Crude oil induced pollution on soil environment is an increasing trend due to incessant accidental release of this component into the environment. Bioremediation which is considered the most effective clean-up tool is faced with the challenge of sustained nutrient delivery to enhance and sustain the activities of oleophilic microbes. Slow release fertilizer (SRF) is a purposely designed system that releases nutrients in synchrony with sequential needs of organisms hence they provide optimized nutrient use efficiency. This approach aids in mitigating challenges associated with the conventional fertilizer application such as eutrophication, soil hardening, increased fertilizer loss rate and other environmental devastation. Superabsorbent polymers are hydrophilic gels as they exhibit the ability of swelling and retaining water which supports its use in SRF production. Most SAP used in practice are synthetic and semi-synthetic polymers with high production cost and environmentally unfriendly properties. Natural based polymers such as guar gum, cellulose, chitosan, and starch are abundantly available from plant and other sources but most of these biopolymers have other application which may lead to scarcity for other uses. In most part of the world, enormous quantity of waste is generated which invariably causes pollution. World agro and industrial waste materials with little or no value is therefore recommended to be applied as SAP for SRF formulation. This review therefore provides insight on the potential use of controlled release fertilizer system as a useful tool in ensuring sustained nutrient delivery during bioremediation and also suggest more eco-safe and cost-effective approaches of SRF formulation.
Microorganisms in close association with the roots of plants can enhance plant growth, through nitrogen fixation (NF) and phosphorus solubilization (PS). Although the type of microbes in close association with different plants varies, their population and genetic capabilities is affected by several factors. Therefore, in this study, the plant growth promoting properties of rhizobacteria present in the rhizosphere of two cassava varieties (Sweet cassava US, bitter cassava ST) indigenous to Iyamho community was explored. The samples were analyzed for total culturable heterotrophic bacteria community and the obtained isolates were screened for NF and PS abilities using a semi-solid N-free medium and Pikovaskya agar respectively. The bacterial population in both agar medium varied, however, the bacterial counts on Luria Bertani (3.67 x 105, 3.35 x 106) was higher than Nutrient agar (2.73 x 105, 2.68 x 105) after incubation for 24 hours at 37oC for sweet and bitter cassava rhizosp here respectively. Also, isolates from sweet cassava had the highest bacteria count in both Nutrient agar and Luria Bertani agar. A total of sixteen isolates were obtained, six phosphate solubilizers, five nitrogen fixers, and five without traits for either NF or PS. The Gram-negative bacterial group was more dominant across all isolates while the dominant genus was Bacillus. This study indicates that the nitrogen fixers and phosphate solubilizers are major constituents of the rhizomicrobe of cassava plants although the distribution varies across cassava varieties. However, sweet cassava rhizosphere harbored more nitrogen-fixing bacteria while both varieties had the same amount of phosphate solubilizing rhizobacteria.
Plant-microbe interaction is mostly mutualistic although sometimes it can be negative. These interactions contribute to improving the environmental quality and health of all organisms. One significant aspect to this is application in sustainable environmental management. Plants are known to be involved in remediation of polluted environments through a mechanism known as phytoremediation and this process is usually more effective in collaboration with microorganism resident within the plant environment. These plants and microbes possess attributes that makes them great candidates for sustainable remediation of impacted environments. Different organic pollutants have been decontaminated from the environment using the phytoremediation approach. The plant-associated microbes possess certain traits that exert selective effect on the growth of plants which consequently perform the decontamination process through different mechanisms. Also, these microorganisms’ harbour requisite genes charged with the responsibility of mineralization of different organic and inorganic compounds through several pathways to produce innocuous by-products. The limitations associated with this approach that prevents full-scale application such as contaminant-induced stress frequently leads to low/slow rates of seed germination, plant development and decreases in plant biomass have been solved by using plant growth promoting rhizobacteria. Phytoremediation is an emerging, cost-effective, eco-friendly and operational technology for the cleanup of polluted environment.
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