Heavy metal pollution in soils and water bodies is becoming a serious threat to environment and is a matter of wide concern. This study was carried out on soil bacterial strain isolated from heavy metal contaminated soil collected from Zawar, Udaipur (India) with the aim of exploring the impacts of land use on heavy metal contamination of soil and sediment. A total of 23 zinc tolerant isolates were recovered on nutrient agar supplemented with 1 mM concentration of zinc sulphate heptahydrate. Out of which isolate HMT 7 which showed highest MIC of 31 mg/ml was further characterized by morphological, cultural, biochemical and molecular characterization and was identified as Pseudomonas aeruginosa HMT 7. The isolate showed multiple heavy metal tolerance and grew in presence of zinc sulphate heptahydrate (30 mg/ml), cadmium chloride (100 µg/ml) and lead nitrate (100 µg/ml). The heavy metal accumulation by the isolate was also evidenced by transmission electron microscopy. A pot experiment under heavy metal stress conditions was performed using Triticum aestivum L. as a test crop. Heavy metal toxicity reduced various plant growth parameters; however, inoculation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa HMT 7 alleviated the heavy metal toxicity and enhanced the plant growth parameters.
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