Perspectives for using glacial and periglacial microorganisms for plant growth promotion at low temperatures

Himalayan Microbiomes for Agro-environmental Sustainability: Current Perspectives and Future Challenges

The Himalayas are one of the most mystical, yet least studied terrains of the world. One of Earth's greatest multifaceted and diverse montane ecosystems is also one of the thirty-four global biodiversity hotspots of the world. These are supposed to have been uplifted about 60-70 million years ago and support, distinct environments, physiography, a variety of orogeny, and great biological diversity (plants, animals, and microbes). Microbes are the pioneer colonizer of the Himalayas that are involved in various bio-geological cycles and play various significant roles. The applications of Himalayan microbiomes inhabiting in lesser to greater Himalayas have been recognized. The researchers explored the applications of indigenous microbiomes in both agricultural and environmental sectors. In agriculture, microbiomes from Himalayan regions have been suggested as better biofertilizers and biopesticides for the crops growing at low temperature and mountainous areas as they help in the alleviation of cold stress and other biotic stresses. Along with alleviation of low temperature, Himalayan microbes also have the capability to enhance plant growth by availing the soluble form of nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, and iron. These microbes have been recognized for producing plant growth regulators (abscisic acid, auxin, cytokinin, ethylene, and gibberellins). These microbes have been reported for bioremediating the diverse pollutants (pesticides, heavy metals, and xenobiotics) for environmental sustainability. In the current perspectives, present review provides a detailed discussion on the ecology, biodiversity, and adaptive features of the native Himalayan microbiomes in view to achieve agro-environmental sustainability.

Plant Growth Promotion at Low Temperature by Phosphate-Solubilizing Pseudomonas Spp. Isolated from High-Altitude Himalayan Soil

Scarcity of arable land, limited soil nutrient availability, and low-temperature conditions in the Himalayan regions need to be smartly managed using sustainable approaches for better crop yields. Microorganisms, able to efficiently solubilize phosphate at low temperatures, provide an opportunity to promote plant growth in an ecofriendly way. In this study, we have investigated the ability of psychrotolerant Pseudomonas spp., isolated from high altitudes of Indian Himalaya to solubilize P at low temperature. Quantitative estimation of phosphate solubilization and production of relevant enzymes at two different temperatures (15 and 25 °C) was performed for 4 out of 11 selected isolates, namely, GBPI_506 (Pseudomonas sp.), GBPI_508 (Pseudomonas palleroniana), GBPI_Hb61 (Pseudomonas proteolytica), and GBPI_CDB143 (Pseudomonas azotoformans). Among all, isolate GBPI_CDB143 showed highest efficiency to solubilize tri-calcium phosphate (110.50 ± 3.44 μg/mL) at 25 °C after 6 days while the culture supernatants of isolate GBPI_506 displayed the highest phytase activity (15.91 ± 0.35 U/mL) at 15 °C and alkaline phosphatase (3.09 ± 0.07 U/mL) at 25 °C in 6 and 9 days, respectively. Out of five different organic acids quantified, oxalic acid and malic acid were produced in maximum quantity by all four isolates. With the exception of GBPI_508, inoculation of bacteria promoted overall growth (rosette diameter, leaf area, and biomass) of Arabidopsis thaliana plants as compared to uninoculated control plants in growth chamber conditions. The plant growth promotion by each bacterial isolate was further validated by monitoring root colonization in the inoculated plants. These bacterial isolates with low-temperature phosphate solubilization potential along with phosphatases and phytase activity at low temperature could be harnessed for sustainable crop production in P-deficient agricultural soils under mountain ecosystems.