MITIGATING LEAD TOXICITY IN TRITICUM AESTIVUM L. THROUGH ASPERGILLUS TERREUS INOCULATION: A PROMISING BIOREMEDIATION STRATEGY

The study aimed to assess pre-characterized endophytic plant growth promoters Aspergillus terreus SQU14026 (1x10⁸ conidia per ml in distilled water) for their potential in alleviating lead contamination's toxic effects on wheat cultivars exposed to varying lead concentrations. A. terreus exhibited the highest MTC value (3000 ppm) for Pb2+. Wheat cultivar grains were inoculated in a greenhouse experiment with endophytic fungal spores. The effect of grain inoculation treatment on mitigating lead ions' adverse effects on morphological and physiological parameters, lead accumulation, and translocation in wheat cultivars' different plant parts was evaluated at two stages (after 60 days of sowing and at harvest stage). The spore inoculation treatment enhanced all morphological and physiological parameters of wheat grown in lead-free soil compared to non-inoculated controls. Using lead-tolerant A. terreus to inoculate wheat plants alleviated the harmful impact of lead and enhanced their growth and physiological attributes under lead-contaminated conditions, in contrast to treatments without inoculation. Lead contamination negatively affected the growth parameters and physiological features of plants at all concentrations of lead stress. Applying inoculants to wheat grains reduced the translocation of lead ions from the root to the shoot and then to the grains.