International Journal of Science, Engineering and TechnologyAuthors: Assistant Professor Suresh Kumar
Abstract: Abiotic stresses such as drought, salinity, and extreme temperatures pose significant threats to global food crop productivity, challenges that are intensifying under climate change. Engineering plant–microbiome consortia harnesses the synergistic functions of stress-adapted microbial communities to enhance crop resilience and yield stability. In this study, microbial strains were isolated from arid and semi-arid soils, screened in vitro for traits including osmolyte production, ACC-deaminase activity, and antioxidant capacity, and assembled into synthetic consortia based on compatibility and functional complementarity. Greenhouse and pilot field trials assessed impacts on plant physiological markers—water-use efficiency, chlorophyll fluorescence, electrolyte leakage—and agronomic metrics such as biomass and grain yield. Anticipated outcomes include enhanced abiotic stress tolerance, improved yield consistency under adverse conditions, and sustained soil health. This scalable approach offers a sustainable, climate-resilient pathway to secure food production and support smallholder livelihoods worldwide. By leveraging local microbes and reducing chemical inputs, this strategy supports circular-economy principles and ecological balance.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15826965
