ABSTRACT
Phytoremediation is a widely acknowledged technology that utilizes plants for the reclamation of contaminated environments. For the efficient removal of contaminants, the selection of plant candidates should be based on some criteria like having higher biomass with a well-branched and long root system, high pollutant accumulation capacity, and increased tolerance to the pollutants. Plants exhibit various defense mechanisms against inorganic or organic contaminant stress by augmenting the synthesis of antioxidants, 160osmolytes, etc. The molecular and physiological mechanisms functioning in the plants help to identify hazardous consequences of organic as well as inorganic contaminants to plants. The physiological alterations take place as a result of the coordinated responses of several stress induced genes and other underlying molecular attributes. Unraveling the molecular and physiological mechanisms that are concerned with stress tolerance would help in better understanding and improvement of phytoremediation technology. Moreover, distinguishing hyperaccumulators from non-accumulator plants also requires molecular and physiological markers. Understanding the molecular mechanisms upregulated in hyperaccumulator plants can aid in the designing of plants with a higher capacity for heavy metal tolerance, which will be beneficial for phytoremediation and effective soil reclamation.
