Phytoremediation of isoproturon‐contaminated sites by transgenic soybean

The widespread application of isoproturon (IPU) can cause serious pollution to the environment and threaten ecological functions. In this study, the IPU bacterial N‐demethylase gene pdmAB was transferred and expressed in the chloroplast of soybean (Glycine max L. ‘Zhonghuang13’). The transgenic soybeans exhibited significant tolerance to IPU and demethylated IPU to a less phytotoxic metabolite 3‐(4‐isopropylphenyl)‐1‐methylurea (MDIPU) in vivo. The transgenic soybeans removed 98% and 84% IPU from water and soil within 5 and 14 days, respectively, while accumulating less IPU in plant tissues compared with the wild‐type (WT). Under IPU stress, transgenic soybeans showed a higher symbiotic nitrogen fixation performance (with higher total nodule biomass and nitrogenase activity) and a more stable rhizosphere bacterial community than the WT. This study developed a transgenic (TS) soybean capable of efficiently removing IPU from its growing environment and recovering a high‐symbiotic nitrogen fixation capacity under IPU stress, and provides new insights into the interactions between rhizosphere microorganisms and TS legumes under herbicide stress.