This document discusses the process of phylloremediation, which uses leaves and their associated microbes to naturally remediate air pollutants. It explains that plants host diverse microbial populations that remain largely unexplored but could help address issues like food production, disease treatment, and environmental pollution. As an example, it describes a recent study where blue pea plants were inoculated with bacteria able to remove the air pollutant formaldehyde, with the colonized plants growing better when exposed to formaldehyde than unmodified plants. Phylloremediation shows potential for using plant-microbe combinations to purify polluted air and increase food crops.
2. Phylloremediation
Phyllo originated from greek
word of phullon, meaning
leaf.
It is defined as a natural
process of bioremediation of
air pollutants through leaves
and leaf associated microbes.
3. Plant
microbiota
Our body contain
roughly the same
number of bacteria as
there in human cells.
Like humans, plants
also host a
population of a
diverse of microbes.
Knowledge of the
plant microbiome
could be help us
to:
produce more food to feed growing population
discover new medicines to cure diseases
help reverse anthropogenic environmental pollution.
4. D
C
B
A
Researchers are
collecting
microbial samples
for Earth
Microbiome
Project, to
understand
patterns of
microbiome
distribution.
Microbes that live
inside plants are
difficult to collect
and grow in the lab.
So,Plant
microbiome is
an area that
remains largely
unexplored.
Researchers are
developing new
approaches to collect
beneficial microbes in
plants.
5. Wonders of plant microbiome
Plant microbiome has many beneficial effects on
plant growth and development – the best-known
plant-microbe mutualism is the relationship
between plants and mycorrhizal fungi
Here, the fungi associated with
the roots supply nutrients, such as
nitrogen and phosphorus, to the
host plant helping them grow
faster. Meanwhile, the plant
provides the fungus with sugar.
6. AIR
POLLUTION
Mostly generated
by rising urban
population and it
accelerates the rise
of average global
temperature.
But we also need new
ways to get rid of
existing air pollution
Ocuurs when
harmful substances
are introduced into
earth’ s atmosphere
Can reduce by
cleaner, sustainable
energy-source for
industry and
transportation, and
proper city planning.
9. •Ivy plants
grown in urban areas, with high air
pollution, have more bacteria that can
break down road traffic-generated
particulate matters.
10. American grass
contains bacteria that
can degrade crude oil.
Poplar trees can be
hosts to bacteria that
can break down
organic solvents.
11. Natural air purifiers
• Plants can degrade
harmful particles in the
air as well break down
carbon dioxide through
photosynthesis process to
produce oxygen.
• Likewise, several
microbes also break down
toxic chemicals, including
the ones that are present
in the atmosphere.
• We can introduce (inoculate)
these microbes into plants to
give them an added advantage.
• The right plant-microbe combo
may help us increase food
production or clean up the
environment
13. This volatile
organic
compound is
released as a
pollution by-
product from
industry and is
also present in
cigarette smoke
Remarkably, the plants
colonised by these
bacteria grow better in
the presence of
formaldehyde than
plants without
bacteria.
RESULT:
Recently, scientists inoculated blue pea plants with
bacteria that can remove formaldehyde.
