Whole-genome characterization of halotolerant Enterobacter roggenkampii OSNO4 and its potential for climate-resilient agriculture.
Mukharjee SK, Hasan MF, Sikdar B
Soil Health
Rice paddies treated with this naturally occurring soil microbe pushed germination rates from 42% to 72% under salt stress — the kind of soil salinity creeping into coastal and irrigated fields as sea levels rise and aquifers are over-pumped.
Researchers found a tiny, helpful bacterium living in the soil around rice roots. This microbe acts like a multivitamin for plants: it unlocks nutrients locked in the soil, makes a plant growth hormone, and even fights off harmful fungi. When rice seeds were planted in salty soil alongside this bacterium, far more seeds sprouted and grew into healthier plants than seeds planted alone.
Key Findings
OSNO4 improved rice seed germination from 52% to 86% at moderate salt stress (100 mM NaCl) and from 42% to 72% at high salt stress (150 mM NaCl)
The bacterium produced 38.34 µg/ml of the plant growth hormone IAA and suppressed the fungal pathogen Fusarium concentricum by 54.23%
Whole-genome sequencing (4.67 Mb, 4,546 genes) confirmed six biosynthetic gene clusters and an open pan-genome, indicating high genetic adaptability
chevron_right Technical Summary
Scientists discovered a soil bacterium from rice fields that helps plants survive salty, drought-stressed conditions by boosting nutrient uptake, producing growth hormones, and fighting fungal pathogens — all traits encoded in its fully sequenced genome.
Abstract Preview
Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) represent an eco-friendly strategy to improve crop yield under abiotic stress conditions. This study aimed to perform a comprehensive genomic and functio...
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