Mechanism of salt tolerance ability of novel Desertifilum salkalinema SSAU 7 for sustainable development.

Abstract

The long-term sustainability of food production and the usage of agricultural land are seriously threatened by soil salinization. To combat the salinization, the salt-tolerant cyanobacteria can be a potent candidate. However, it is not yet clear how these microbes work to remediate saline soil. Salinity is a global problem, mainly caused by higher evaporation rate, low rainfall, seawater intrusion into freshwater, overuse of chemical fertilizers, etc. This study examined the effect of various salt concentrations on Desertifilum salkalinema SSAU 7 (SSAU 7), which is isolated from the river Ganges, Prayagraj, India. This study examined the tolerance of microbes by analysing the chlorophyll-a, carotenoid, carbohydrate, and photosynthetic activity. It also includes the activity of trehalose and antioxidants, for the mechanism involved in the tolerance and providing new insights that will help the development of cyanobacteria bio-stimulants capable of ameliorating the adverse effects of salinity. The findings revealed that the strain SSAU 7 has the ability to survive up to 20 gL^-1 salt concentrations efficiently. The study showed that the halotolerant cyanobacterium can not only survive at high salt concentration but also it can help in Cicer arietinum (chickpea) plant growth by secreting Indole acetic acid. With increased germination percentage of seed, stem, and root length, SSAU 7 clearly had a good impact on plant growth. These results highlight how cyanobacteria enormously combat salt stress efficiently and can also promote the production of crops while reducing the negative impact of agrochemicals on the environment.