ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Microbiol.
Sec. Microbe and Virus Interactions with Plants
Zinc-based amendments and Zn-solubilizing beneficial bacteria mitigate lead-induced toxicity in chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.)
Provisionally accepted
- 1Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, India
- 2Marwadi University, Rajkot, India
- 3King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- 4Technological University Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
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Abstract Lead (Pb) is a toxic metal that disrupts plant physiological processes and poses significant human health risks. Fertilizers, nanomaterials, and mineral-solubilizing plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) support phytoremediation as an emerging, eco-friendly strategy for metal detoxification by improving nutrient availability and minimizing metal toxicity in plants. This study explored the interactions of Zn-fertilizer, zinc-oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs), and Zn-solubilizing Enterobacter cloacae (Zns-Ec) in mitigating Pb-induced phytotoxicity in 50, 100, and 150 mgPbkg-1 soil-stressed chickpea. Under Pb stress. Zn, ZnO-NP and Zns-Ec significantly (p<0.05) improved root biomass (23.4%, 52.3%, and 71.4%), chl a (21.2%, 26.5%, and 39.8%), and carotenoids (26.7%, 29.7% and 45.7%) in chickpea subjected to 50 mgPbkg⁻¹ soil. Zn, ZnO-NP and Zns-Ec interactions reduced lipid peroxidation (LPO), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and membrane integrity and increased soluble proline, helping to mitigate oxidative stress in Pb-stressed chickpea. Zn, ZnO-NP and Zns-Ec increased antioxidant enzyme activity of chickpea with highest increases in catalase (CAT; 33.4%, 40.7% and 51.2%), ascorbate peroxidase (APX; 24.5%, 29.8%, and 41.2%), glutathione reductase (GR; 20.7%, 33.1% and 48.9%), peroxidase (POD; 24.8, 34.5%, and 48.9%) under 150 mgPbkg-1 stress. Treatments of Zn, ZnO-NP and Zns-Ec greatly reduced Pb uptake in roots (20.1%, 35.7%, and 67%) and shoots (17.6%, 29.5% and 54%), in 50 mgPbkg-1-stressed chickpeas. Additionally, Zn amendments significantly reduced Pb concentrations in rhizosphere soil, increased levels of available K and soluble P. Rhizosphere soil harvested from Zn, ZnO-NPs, and Zns-Ec treatments showed increased available P (8.2% 24.5% and 29.5%) and K (24%, 21%, 34.5%) content under mgPbkg-1 Pb treatment. Zn, ZnO-NP, and Zns-Ec mitigated Pb toxicity in chickpea by enhancing antioxidant enzyme activity, reducing lipid peroxidation, and limiting Pb uptake through Zn–Pb interaction and rhizosphere immobilization. These findings the synergistic role of Zn amendments and metal-tolerant PGPR in improving plant resilience under heavy metal stress.
Keywords: Cicer arietinum (L.), E. cloacae, Lead (Pb)-detoxification, Zn and ZnO-NPs, Reduced ROS accumulation, Bacterial-assisted nano-phytoremediation
Received: 06 Oct 2025; Accepted: 11 Nov 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Shahid, Farah, Al-Anazi and Koolman. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Mohammad Shahid, shahidfaiz5@gmail.com
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