Change in Root Metal Speciation and Compartmentalization are Complementary Plant Growth Promoting Mechanisms by Bacteria

The scientific knowledge of below ground root-bacteria-metal system is still significantly limited. A unique study based on the use of synchrotron X-ray absorption spectroscopy (S-XAS) to determine the accumulation and speciation of zinc (Zn) in roots of Brassica juncea exposed to Zn contamination following inoculation with Pseudomonas brassicacearum and Rhizobium leguminosarumprovides robust evidence that bacteria ameliorate Zn toxicity by sequestering Zn in  compounds  that  reduce  its  bio-toxicity  and  at  sites  devoid  of  Zn  sensitive  organelles