1 Soil contamination, Nutritive value and Human health risk assessment of heavy metals: An Overview -- 2 Heavy Metal Toxicity to Symbiotic Nitrogen Fixing Microorganism and Host Legumes -- 3 Toxic Effects of Heavy Metals on Germination and Physiological Processes of Plants -- 4 Chromium-Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria Interactions: Toxicity and Management -- 5 The influence of glutathione on the tolerance of Rhizobium leguminosarum to cadmium -- 6 Bioremediation: A Natural Method for the Management of Polluted Environment -- 7 Rhizobium-legume symbiosis: A model system for the recovery of metal contaminated agricultural land -- 8 Microbially mediated transformations of heavy metals in rhizosphere -- 9 Rhizoremediation: A Pragmatic Approach for Remediation of Heavy Metal Contaminated Soil -- 10 Role of Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria in the Management of Cadmium Contaminated Soil -- 11 Site-specific optimization of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi mediated phytoremediation -- 12 Heavy Metal Resistance in Plants: a Putative Role of Endophytic Bacteria -- 13 Importance of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi in legume Production under Heavy Metal Contaminated Soils.-.

This title discusses various effects of heavy metal exposure to legumes as well as the bioremediation potential of rhizosphere microbes. Availability of heavy metals, their uptake and the effects of metals on germination and various physiological functions of plants including legumes are presented. Furthermore, the effects of heavy metals to nitrogen fixing microorganisms and how microsymbionts can overcome metal stress is presented in detail. The influence of glutathione on the tolerance of Rhizobium leguminosarum to cadmium is discussed. The role of nitrogen fixers in decontamination of heavy metal toxicity, mycoremediation of metal contaminated soils, microbially mediated transformation of heavy metals and action of plant growth promoting rhizobacteria and nitrogen fixers together in detoxifying heavy metals are broadly explained. This volume is a useful tool for scientists, policy makers and progressive legume growers intending to develop safe and healthy legumes for future generations.