The potential ability of Button mushroom compost (BMC) to solubilize heavy metals was estimated with metal contaminated soils collected from abandoned mines of Boryeong area in South Korea. The bacterial strains in BMC were isolated for investigating the mobilization of metals in soil or plant by the strains and identified according to 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis. When metal solubilization potential of BMC was assessed in a batch experiment, the BMC was found to be capable of solubilizing metals in the presence of metals (Co, Pb and Zn) and the results showed that inoculation of BMC could increase the concentrations of water soluble Co, Pb and Cd by 35, 25 and 45% respectively, than those of non-inoculated soils. BMC-assisted growth promotion and metal uptake in sunflower (Helianthus annuus) was also evaluated in a pot experiment. In comparison with non-inoculated seedlings, the inoculation led to increase the growth of H. annuus by 27, 25 and 28% respectively in Co, Pb and Zn contaminated soils. Moreover, enhanced accumulation of Co, Pb and Zn in the shoot and root systems was observed in inoculated plants, where metal translocation from root to the above-ground tissues was also found to be enhanced by the BMC. The apparent results suggested that the BMC could effectively be employed in enhancing phytoextraction of Co, Pb and Zn from contaminated soils.

 ABSTRACT  Introduction  Materials and Methods   Preparation of Button mushroon compost   Isolation of microorganisms from BMC   Strain identification   Mobility of the metals in soil   Effect of bioagumentation on growth and metal uptake by H. annuus  Results   Microbial diversity of BMC   Isolation and identification of microorganisms   Mobility of the metals in soil   Effect of bacterial strain on growth and metal uptake by H. annuus  Discussion  Conclusion  Acknowledgment  References

• Kyeong, Ki-Cheon(Crop Research Division, Chungcheongnam-do Agricultural Research & Extension Services)
• Kim, Yong-Gyun( Crop Research Division, Chungcheongnam-do Agricultural Research & Extension Services) | Kim, Yong-Gyun
• Lee, Chan-Jung( Mushroom Research Division, National Institute of Horticultural & Herbal Science, RDA) | Lee, Chan-Jung
• Lee, Byung-Eui( Department of Chemistry, College of Natural Sciences, Soonchunghyang University) | Lee, Byung-Eui
• Lee, Heon-Hak( Department of Bio-Environmental Chemistry, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Chungnam National University) | Lee, Heon-Hak
• Yoon, Min-Ho( Department of Bio-Environmental Chemistry, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Chungnam National University) | Yoon, Min-Ho