INJEKTA™ has joined with Assoc. Prof. Richard Bentham and Assoc. Prof Kathleen Soole from Flinders University on an Australian Research Council funded project to investigate the influence of plants on microbial activity - in this case to increase microbial breakdown of herbicide contaminants in agricultural soils. Read more about their research program here: http://blogs.flinders.edu.au/flinders-news/2009/06/29/mobilising-microbes-to-rescue-farmland/ Injekta undertaking ground breaking research in partnership with Flinders University: http://blogs.flinders.edu.au/flinders-news/2009/06/29/mobilising-microbes-to-rescue-farmland/ Bioremediation utilises plants, fungi, bacteria and/ or their by-products to return soil to its natural condition following contamination. Plants are often used to remediate soil (phytoremediation) as they can transport and accumulate many inorganic compounds such as metals. Similarly, microbial activity can breakdown a wide range of pollutants. Rhizoremediation is a new area of research which involves investigating the relationship between plants and microbes in the breakdown of soil pollutants. This exciting research program will investigate the commercial plant species that can be used for bioremediation of herbicide and pesticide contaminated agricultural soils, microbial activity associated with the plant species successful in bioremediation, potential of plant growth promoting amendments to stimulate microbial degradation of herbicides, and work towards building the best system to successful remediate contaminated agricultural soils. Remediation of other contaminated soil systems such as mining sites are also likely to benefit from the outcomes of this research program. Stay tuned here for the results as the research program gets underway! Read about it here www.in-business.com.au/news/story/2009-6-30/4189