Influence of mycorrhizal fungi on remediation of soil contaminated by petroleum hydrocarbons

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) can play an important role in phytoremediation by improving plant establishment and growth on soils contaminated by anorganics as well as organics. The benefits of AMF to plants are often related to increased nutrition and water uptake as well as enhanced tolerance to environmental stress. The aim of the present study was to investigate the efficacy of remediation techniques (plant cultivation, bacterial inoculation, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi inoculation) on petroleum contaminated soil. It was found that wheat may be successfully applied in the phytoremediation of soil with a long history of contamination by high levels of petroleum hydrocarbons. Application of bacterial or fungal inoculation alone was not as effective as combining inoculation with plant cultivation.