Combined application of rhizobacteria, organic and inorganic amendments reduce lead and cadmium uptake and improve growth of chickpea by modulating physiology and antioxidant status

Due to a lack of high-quality water, farmers have been compelled to use sewage water for irrigation, contaminating agricultural soils with multiple heavy metals. For the remediation of contaminated soil, plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), pressmud (PM), and iron (III) oxide were used to improve the growth and phytostabilization potential of chickpea grown in contaminated soil. Contaminated soil was collected from a nearby field, receiving sewage and factory water over the last 60 years. Chickpea seeds were inoculated with metal-tolerant (lead and cadmium) rhizobacterial and rhizobial strains. It was observed that combined application of rhizobia, rhizobacteria, iron oxide, and pressmud improved shoot fresh weight (87%), root fresh weight (47.9%), root length (47.9%), nodules plant