Comparative Study of the Rhizospheric Microflora of Sunflower Cultivars Helianthus annuus (Asteráceae, Magnoliópsida) Grown on Soils with Anthropogenic Polyelemental Anomalies

Abstract

In a laboratory pot experiment, two mutant cultivars of sunflower (Helianthus annuus cv. r2p2 and Helianthus annuus cv. r5n1) were grown on soils with anthropogenic polyelemental anomalies and on a background control soil, and a comparative analysis of their rhizospheric microflora was carried out. The numbers of soil bacteria, actinomycetes and micromycetes, as well as the numbers of rhizospheric microorganisms resistant to Zn2+, Pb2+, and Cu2+ ions were estimated in the rhizosphere of sunflower cultivars. Quantitative changes in the sunflower rhizospheric microboceno-ses, formed under the influence of both the plant genotype and technogenic soil pollution, were revealed. A pronounced stimulation of the rhizospheric microorganisms of all groups studied was found when plants were cultivated on the technogenically contaminated soil from PJSC Kosogorsk Metallurgical Plant. In this case, cultivar differences were observed, namely: the maximal number of bacteria and actinomycetes was revealed in the rhizosphere of H. annuus cv. r2p2, whilst the maximal number of micromycetes was revealed in the rhizosphere of H. annuus cv. r5n1. An increased number of microorganisms resistant to lead ions was revealed in the rhizosphere of H. annuus cv. r2p2. The observed changes in the structure of rhizospheric microbial communities of the sunflower cultivars manifested in the stimulation of the growth and activity of soil microflora can be in demand for phytoremediation of technogenically contaminated soil.