Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences Journal of Advances in Environmental Health Research 2676-3478 9 4 2021 10 01 Effect of Drought Stress, Soil Salinity, P. indica, and MWCNs on Biodegradation of Diesel Oil in the Pb- and Cd-Polluted Soil Under Cultivation of Triticale Plant 311 320 137560 10.32598/JAEHR.9.4.1232 EN Amir Hossein Baghaie Department of Soil Science, Arak Branch, Islamic Azad University, Arak, Iran. 0000-0002-8936-1202 Journal Article 2021 07 21 <strong>Background:</strong><strong> </strong>Today, soil pollution with heavy metals and petroleum compounds is one of the main environmental problems. This research was done to investigate the effect of drought stress, soil salinity, <em>Piriformospora indica (P. indica)</em>, and MWCNs on biodegradation of diesel oil in the soil that contaminated with Pb and Cd under cultivation of triticale plant.<br /><strong>Methods:</strong><strong> </strong>Treatments consisted of applying MWCNs (2% [W/W]) in the Pb- and Cd-polluted soil that was simultaneously polluted with diesel oil (0, 5, and 10% [W/W]), and the plants used in this study were inoculated with <em>P. indica</em>. After 70 days, plants were harvested, and plant and soil Cd were measured using AAS (atomic absorption spectrometry). In addition, the degradation percentage of diesel oil in soil was determined.<br /><strong>Results:</strong> Soil application of MWCNs at the rate of 2% (W/W) significantly increased the biodegradation of diesel oil in the soil in the drought and salinity (6 dS/m) stress by 11.3% and 15.6%, respectively. In addition, plant inoculation with <em>P. indica</em> significantly increased the biodegradation of diesel oil in the soil by 12.3%. For salinity (6 dS/m) and drought stress, it was increased by 8.3% and 9.4%, respectively. In addition, the Pb and Cd concentrations decreased by 14.3% and 12.8%, respectively, when the MWCNs were added to the soil (2% [W/W]).<br /><strong>Conclusion:</strong> Soil application of MWCNs and plant inoculation with <em>P. indica</em> not only increased the biodegradation of diesel oil but also decreased the plant Pb and Cd concentrations. https://jaehr.muk.ac.ir/article_137560_0ea8833891a73e0b36b4712327c8a81c.pdf