PubMed · 2026-04-21
Combining beneficial soil bacteria with hyacinth bean (Lablab purpureus) can restore soils damaged by mining in Sub-Saharan Africa at low cost, raising soil organic matter by up to 50% and cutting toxic heavy metal availability by up to 40% within just a few growing seasons.
Beneficial bacteria (including Bacillus, Pseudomonas, and Rhizobium) boosted hyacinth bean growth in contaminated mine soils by improving nutrient availability and reducing metal toxicity.
The plant-bacteria combination increased soil organic matter by 20–50% and reduced bioavailable heavy metals by 30–40% within several growing seasons.
Scaling up this approach requires omics-assisted microbial selection, long-term monitoring, and community-engaged policy support to overcome variability and socio-economic barriers.
