Method and compositions to promote plant growth in metal contaminated environments

A method for phytoremediation of soil, groundwater, industrial waste or water, wherein the soil, groundwater, industrial waste or water is contaminated with at least one metal ion selected from the group consisting of aluminum, copper, cobalt, zinc, antimony, mercury, cadmium, arsenate and arsenite, the method comprising the step of contacting an Arabidopsis thaliana plant comprising an als7-1 genotype mutation with at least one polyamine agent that promotes polyamine synthesis or polyamine levels in the plant, wherein the als7-1 genotype mutation comprises a nucleotide substitution at a splice junction between the 5th exon and subsequent intron of SWA2/At1g72440 such that the splice junction comprises the sequence:

• 5′-GAACAAGttattg-3′ (SEQ ID NO:15), wherein the Arabidopsis thaliana plant takes up the at least one metal ion from the soil, groundwater, industrial waste or water when the Arabidopsis thaliana plant is grown in the contaminated soil, groundwater, industrial waste or water and is contacted with the at least one polyamine agent.