Plant-bacteria synergism: An innovative approach for the remediation of crude oil-contaminated soils

Abstract

The adverse ecological and socio-economic effects of oil pollution demand that eco-friendly and proficient remediation technologies be devised as countermeasures. The synergistic use of plants and bacteria is considered as one of the efficient technologies for the remediation of crude oil-contaminated soil. In plant-bacterial synergism, plants host a large number of bacteria in its rhizosphere, root and shoot by providing nutrients and space for colonization. In return, bacterial population increases in different compartments of the plant and degrade organic pollutants. This review will highlight the issues related to soil contamination with hydrocarbons and their remediation, bioremediation and phytoremediation, plant-bacterial synergism in hydrocarbons degradation with special emphasis on the role of endo/rhizospehere bacteria for the maximum remediation of hydrocarbons contaminated soil.