Chromate reducing and plant growth promoting activities of psychrotrophic Rhodococcus erythropolis MtCC 7,905.

A psychrotrophic bacterial strain resistant to 300 mg l(-1) of Cr(6+) was isolated from metal contaminated soil samples from a site situated in the Indian Himalayan Region. Based on 16 S rRNA analysis the isolate showed maximum similarity to Rhodococcus erythropolis. Rhodococcus erythropolis MTCC 7,905 reduced substantial amounts of Cr(6+) to Cr(3+) at 10 degrees C and showed plant growth promotion. The isolate offer promise as inoculant to promote plant growth of pea (Pisum sativum) in the presence of toxic Cr(6+) concentration. To the best of our knowledge this is the first report on a psychrotrophic strain belonging to species R. erythropolis and its functional characterization to reduce Cr(6+ )and promote plant growth at low temperature.