Endophytic Bacteria A Biological Alternative For Phytoremediation Of Nickel-Contaminated Soil

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate in vitro the tolerance of endophytic bacteria to different concentrations of nickel. Sampling was carried out in rice soils cultivated in Cordoba, Colombia, during which tissue samples were collected from commercial rice varieties at the grain filling stage. Each tissue was subjected to a surface disinfection process. Endophytic bacteria were isolated on R₂A agar medium; their tolerance to different concentrations of nickel and their ability to produce siderophores were evaluated in vitro. A total of 25 strains of endophytic bacteria were isolated from different tissues, with the highest number of bacteria found in roots and tillers of rice plants. Aeromonas hydrophila, Bacillus cereus and Serratia macescens were isolated as endophytic bacteria from commercial rice plants in the department of Cordoba with the ability to resist different nickel concentrations and the capacity to produce siderophores.