Bioaugmentation-assisted phytostabilisation of abandoned mines by plant-growth promoter Serratia Sp.

This study describes the isolation of the endophyte Serratia sp. RA59 from the roots of Pistacia lentiscus spontaneously growing in abandoned mining site. The strain was characterized for the ability to tolerate high concentrations of Zn, Pb and Cd, solubilise phosphate, efficiently produce siderophores, synthetize indol-acetic acid as well as produce Zn-biominerals in vitro. Phytoremediation tests carried out at greenhouse-controlled conditions on P. lentiscus demonstrated that the bioaugmentation with RA59 was able to improve plant germination, survival and growth. Moreover, mastic shrubs showed the attitude to efficiently immobilize metals within the plant rhizosphere. Thus, this synergistic association is a suitable technology for revegetation and phytostabilization of mine sites