Phytomicrobiomes for agro-environmental sustainability

Abstract

icrobes associated with plant and soil plays several significant roles for the environment and without them the existence of life is quite impossible. They have been known to exist in every habitat type of the earth even harsh and interact with other organism and plant-microbes. Phytomicrobiomes are microbes allied with plant i.e. epiphytic (above ground plant surface), endophytic (internal tissues) and rhizospheric (root associated soil) region tends to benefits its host (Figure 1). The microbial community associated with plants interacts with them helps in boosting the growth and development of plant by controlling the pathogens. Plant growth promoting microbiomes could be used as bioinoculants in term of biopesticides and biofertilizers for agro-environmental sustainability. In agriculture sector they have been known to utilize as bioinoculants, an alternative source of agro-chemicals. On the other hand, in environment, phytomicrobiomes could be helpful in the bioremediation the environmental contaminant caused by the anthropogenic activities of humans. The phytomicrobiomes play a noteworthy role in plant growth promotion, plant protection and nutrient cycling in agroenvironmental systems. The term epiphytic or phyllosphere is used not only for the leaves of the plants but also used for all aerial plant parts including stalks, fruits, flower, bark, and pollens. The phyllosphere harbors diverse and complex microbial community including bacteria, fungi, yeast, protists, algae, bacteriophages and among which bacteria is the most dominant colonizer [1]. The culturable phyllospheric microbial communities with cereal crops belong to diverse genera such as Bacillus, Exiguobacterium, Janthinobacterium, Methylobacterium, Pseudomonas and Staphylococcus [2]. The microbial diversity present on the above ground parts of plant may be parasitic, commensal or mutualistic. The colonist of phyllosphere has both deleterious and beneficial impact on the plants. Plant surface microbiota plays a crucial role for its host by protecting them from the stresses such as harmful ultraviolet radiations and oxidative stresses and in return plant provides the leaf surface, nutrients and minerals. Ajar Nath Yadav Microbial Biotechnology Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology, Dr. Khem Singh Gill Akal College of Agriculture, Eternal University, Baru Sahib, Sirmour, Himachal Pradesh, India. Email: ajarbiotech@gmail.com