Project R-1493

The interaction between plant-associated bacteria and poplar under cadmium stress: effects of inoculation with PGPB (plant growth promoting bacteria) on the proteoomlevel and biomass production as a function of fytoextraction. (Research)

Fytoextraction, which is the use of plants including plant-associated microorganisms to remove harmful contaminants from soil and water,is often pushed forward as a cost effective environment friendly alternative for the remidiation of soil contaminated with heavy metals and may contribute to the handeling of the major pollution in Belgium. Knowledge and understanding of the metabolic pathways used, can give us a better picture of how plant-associated bacteria, in particular growth stimulating endofyten (PGPB: Plant Growth Promoting Bacteria), can improve the fytoextraction process. The great strength of this project is that some important underlying mechanisms of fyto- extraction will be clarified and trying to expand the understanding of the process. The main objective of this project is to verify whether poplars are able to take in more Cd in the presence of PGPB and which metabolic pathways / responses play a role in this. For this purpose the proteome of the following conditions are to be compared: untreated poplar (control), poplar grown in sublethal concentrations of Cd, poplar grown in the presence of PGPB and poplar grown in sublethal Cd concentrations in the presence of PGPB.Finally, this project will also monitor the fytoextraction efficiency of Populus trichocarpa x deltoides. They will examine whether certain endofyten can make a difference in the extraction efficiency during the Cd exposure.

01 January 2009 - 31 December 2012