Dhananjaya P. Singh - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Dhananjaya P. Singh

International Journal of Molecular Sciences

Vegetable crops possess a prominent nutri-metabolite pool that not only contributes to the crop p... more Vegetable crops possess a prominent nutri-metabolite pool that not only contributes to the crop performance in the fields, but also offers nutritional security for humans. In the pursuit of identifying, quantifying and functionally characterizing the cellular metabolome pool, biomolecule separation technologies, data acquisition platforms, chemical libraries, bioinformatics tools, databases and visualization techniques have come to play significant role. High-throughput metabolomics unravels structurally diverse nutrition-rich metabolites and their entangled interactions in vegetable plants. It has helped to link identified phytometabolites with unique phenotypic traits, nutri-functional characters, defense mechanisms and crop productivity. In this study, we explore mining diverse metabolites, localizing cellular metabolic pathways, classifying functional biomolecules and establishing linkages between metabolic fluxes and genomic regulations, using comprehensive metabolomics deciphe...

Advances in Seed Priming

Plant growth and development are greatly affected by various biotic and abiotic stresses. Various... more Plant growth and development are greatly affected by various biotic and abiotic stresses. Various strategies are utilized to minimize stresses in plants. Seed priming with beneficial microorganisms is one of the most beneficial methods to improve plant growth and development and induce systemic tolerance in plants towards biotic as well as abiotic stresses. Seed priming is a method of conditioning the seeds by plant growth-promoting microbes which provide better abilities to the plant to withstand various environmental challenges beginning from seed germination. Seed priming with beneficial microorganism is also known as bio-priming that enhances seed germination, protects germinating seed from different phytopathogens, and provides suitable conditions for establishment of the plant. Bio-priming has several mechanisms to stimulate morphogenesis and plant immunity, viz., production of phytohormones, induced expression of plant growth-promoting genes, increased nutrient status into the plant, mycoparasitism, antibiosis, induced phenolic production, activation of antioxidant production, and systemic defense activation. Some important microorganisms that synthesize phytohormones include Azotobacter spp., Pantoea agglomerans, Rhodospirillum rubrum, Rhizobium spp., Bacillus subtilis, Pseudomonas fluorescens, Paenibacillus polymyxa, Trichoderma spp., Pseudomonas putida, Rhizobium phaseoli, Bacillus cereus, and Acinetobacter calcoaceticus. The main objective of this chapter is to enlighten the importance of seed priming with microorganisms and the role of different phytohormones produced by them in modulating growth, development, and defense activation in the host plant.

Microbial Interventions in Agriculture and Environment, 2019

Essentiality of omics research clubbed with the bioinformatics data analysis has been perceived i... more Essentiality of omics research clubbed with the bioinformatics data analysis has been perceived in a long time for the advancement of science and innovation. Bioinformatics finds a direct application in the crop improvement programs. The availability of complete genomes of microbial species, economically important crops, animals, and the whole environment (metagenomes) facilitated high-throughput studies for the opening of new avenues to improve crop programs. Different approaches, such as microbial and plant genome comparisons, genetic mapping strategies, and evolutionary analyses, involved in crop development programs are possible through bioinformatics data analysis. New genes, novel proteins and their functions, unique metabolites and their quantitative profile, and metabolic pathways generated from microbes, plants, and animals seemed to have yielded much expected values in terms of new targets or strategies for the development of crop plants in agriculture. Recent work on this subject helped us in dealing with such issues realistically and optimistically in a socially responsible way. Omics-aided research in microbial and plant sciences genuinely help us to consider that people are exploring novel scientific and technological systems to improve human health, human food and animal feed production, overall agricultural productivity, and environmental protection.

Microbial Interventions in Agriculture and Environment, 2019

Sustainability in agriculture without compromising environmental quality, agro-ecosystem function... more Sustainability in agriculture without compromising environmental quality, agro-ecosystem function, and diversity conservation is among the major concerns of present-day agriculture worldwide. The unseen microbial communities play a vital role for solving various problems of today’s agriculture. They can equally benefit crop production and protection systems, food security, public health, and social well-being. Both pathogenic and beneficial microorganisms constitute a key living component of soil and plant system managing ecological balance, ecosystem function, agricultural productivity, crop quality and human wellness, and livestock health. PGPR-mediated stress mitigation in plants is reported for different crops across the world. Commercial use of microbial inoculants for improving crop growth and productivity under stressed environments could constitute a prominently viable and sustainable approach for enhancing agricultural productivity.

Journal of Biological Control, 2000

The application of Trichoderma viride on loose smut infected seeds ( Ustilago segetum var. tritic... more The application of Trichoderma viride on loose smut infected seeds ( Ustilago segetum var. tritici ) or in soil, reduced the smutted tillers up to 17.5 per cent. However, treatment of T. viride alone was not as effective as carboxin seed treatment in the control of loose smut. Maximum reduction was observed in dry seed treatment with antagonist as well as seed treatment plus soil application. The effect of T. viride was more prominent in the seed lot having lower level of loose smut infection. Application of T. viride along with half dose of carboxin was however. found as effective as full recommended dose of carboxin (2.5 g/kg of seed). Soaking of seeds in tap water for 24h also reduced tbe incidence of loose smut by 15.4 per cent.

Crop Improvement Through Microbial Biotechnology, 2018

Abstract Actinomycetes represent important microbial communities in the soils and inhabit very hi... more Abstract Actinomycetes represent important microbial communities in the soils and inhabit very high proportion of soil microbial biomass that has the capacity to produce a wide range of high-value antibiotics, organic acids, phytohormones, extracellular enzymes, bioactive compounds, and secondary metabolites other than antimicrobials. Several strains of actinomycetes were found to promote plant growth directly and protect plants against phytopathogens and plant pests. The potential of this important microbial community for agricultural productivity is being greatly realized because they are a good source for agroactive compounds, plant growth-promoting substances, and biocontrol tools of the control of plant diseases. This chapter describes certain important aspects of actinomycetes in plant growth promotion and biological control.

Microbial Interventions in Agriculture and Environment, 2019

Biopriming of seeds represents standard approach for introduction of disease resistance via bioco... more Biopriming of seeds represents standard approach for introduction of disease resistance via biocontrol agents. Priming of seeds with beneficial microorganisms and biocontrol agents has been reported more efficiently for the management of diseases and pests as compared to other available methodologies. The technique is also reported to stimulate cellular, molecular, and biochemical defense responses in plants toward resistance induction against abiotic stresses. Plants essentially live with microbial communities that colonize aerial parts as well as roots both externally (epiphytic) and internally (endophytic). By providing nutritional and defense-related support influencing distinct genetic cascades, biochemical pathways, and metabolite accumulation or excretion, microbes can fundamentally alter plant phenotypes and enable plants to tolerate stress conditions and at the same time enhance crop productivity. We discussed various techniques of seed biopriming as viable options for health management in crop plants and also presented case examples from rice fields.

Journal of Fungi, 2021

Identification and diversity analysis of fungi is greatly challenging. Though internal transcribe... more Identification and diversity analysis of fungi is greatly challenging. Though internal transcribed spacer (ITS), region-based DNA fingerprinting works as a “gold standard” for most of the fungal species group, it cannot differentiate between all the groups and cryptic species. Therefore, it is of paramount importance to find an alternative approach for strain differentiation. Availability of whole genome sequence data of nearly 2000 fungal species are a promising solution to such requirement. We present whole genome sequence-based world’s largest microsatellite database, FungSatDB having >19M loci obtained from >1900 fungal species/strains using >4000 assemblies across globe. Genotyping efficacy of FungSatDB has been evaluated by both in-silico and in-vitro PCR. By in silico PCR, 66 strains of 8 countries representing four continents were successfully differentiated. Genotyping efficacy was also evaluated by in vitro PCR in four fungal species. This approach overcomes limit...

In natural ecology and cultivated condition, plants and crop species are subjected to numerous st... more In natural ecology and cultivated condition, plants and crop species are subjected to numerous stresses which influence their growth and development. Stress in plants can be regarded as an alteration in growth phage which causes interruption in metabolic homeostasis. Plant pathogens correspond to biotic stresses while different environmental factors accounts for abiotic stresses. Plants take action towards these stresses and evolved improved adaptation by triggering their machinery. Currently, a number of studies are going on for better understanding of plants adaptation and survival in different stresses and this is resulting in a large amount of data. Therefore, there is need of proper management, investigation and interpretation of this data for decoding plant strategies towards stresses. This has led to development of various databases and resources upholding information and details about stresses in numerous crops and plants. In this article, we are providing a brief detail of ...

Biomolecules, 2020

Microbial biomolecules have huge commercial and industrial potential. In nature, biological inter... more Microbial biomolecules have huge commercial and industrial potential. In nature, biological interactions are mostly associated with biochemical and biological diversity, especially with the discovery of associated biomolecules from microbes. Within cellular or subcellular systems, biomolecules signify the actual statuses of the microorganisms. Understanding the biological prospecting of the diverse microbial community and their complexities and communications with the environment forms a vital basis for active, innovative biotechnological breakthroughs. Biochemical diversity rather than the specific chemicals that has the utmost biological importance. The identification and quantification of the comprehensive biochemical diversity of the microbial molecules, which generally consequences in a diversity of biological functions, has significant biotechnological potential. Beneficial microbes and their biomolecules of interest can assist as potential constituents for the wide-range of n...

Plant Bioinformatics, 2017

Essentiality of bioinformatics was perceived from a long time for the advancement of science and ... more Essentiality of bioinformatics was perceived from a long time for the advancement of science and innovation. Bioinformatics finds direct application in the crop improvement programs. It helps out researchers in connecting genetic makeup with commercial traits. Availability of complete genomes of numerous economically important crops and advancement in facilities and experimentation for high-throughput studies open new avenues for crop improvement. Different approaches like plant genome comparisons, genetic mapping strategies, evolutionary analyses, etc. involved in crop development programs are nowadays possible through bioinformatics data analysis. For a few of the scientists, the new genes, novel proteins, and their functions, unique metabolites, quantitative profile, metabolic pathways, etc. seemed to have yielded fewer than what have been earlier expected in terms of new targets or strategies for development of crop plants in agricultural science. Though, recent work on this subject has helped us further realistically and still optimistically deal with such issues in a socially responsible academic exercise. Thus, while some “microarray” or “bioinformatics” scientists may have been criticized as doing “cataloging research,” mass of researchers consider that they are genuinely exploring novel scientific and technological systems and techniques to help human health, human food and animal feed production, overall agricultural productivity, and environmental protection. Indeed, the complexity, extent, and measure of cross talks in biological systems are huge, but simultaneously we need to become more knowledgeable and able to start addressing honestly and skillfully the significant issues regarding global agriculture and the environment.

Many bacteria have the potential to use specific pesticides as a source of carbon, phosphorous, n... more Many bacteria have the potential to use specific pesticides as a source of carbon, phosphorous, nitrogen and sulphur. Acephate degradation by microbes is considered to be a safe and effective method. The overall aim of the present study was to identify acephate biodegrading microorganisms and to investigate the degradation rates of acephate under the stress of humic acid and most common metal ions Fe(III) and copper Cu(II). Pseudomonas azotoformanss strain ACP1, Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain ACP2, and Pseudomonas putida ACP3 were isolated from acephate contaminated soils. Acephate of concentration 100 ppm was incubated with separate strain inoculums and periodic samples were drawn for UV—visible, FTIR (Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy) and MS (Mass Spectrometry) analysis. Methamidophos, S-methyl O-hydrogen phosphorothioamidate, phosphenothioic S-acid, and phosphenamide were the major metabolites formed during the degradation of acephate. The rate of degradation was applied us...

Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology, 1999

Nanotechnology in the Life Sciences, 2019

For many years, fungi have been considered as a high-potential biofactory for the production of n... more For many years, fungi have been considered as a high-potential biofactory for the production of nanoparticles based on their fast growth and high yield. Of a different fungal group, edible mushrooms have been given more attention as a biofactory based on their generally regarded as safe (GRAS) status according to the FDA. Therefore, many types of mushrooms have been widely employed for the production of nanoparticles, such as those belonging to Agaricus, Ganoderma, Pleurotus, Schizophyllum, Cordyceps, and Trametes species. This chapter reviews in detail the biosynthesis and new processes applied for the production of nanomaterials using mushrooms, with a special focus on the factors affecting the biosynthesis and characterization of the nanoparticle. In addition, more attention was given to the recent trend and potential medical applications of metal nanoparticles derived from mushrooms. Furthermore, other applications of mushroom metal nanoparticles in the environment and agricultu...

The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this p... more The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use. The publisher, the authors and the editors are safe to assume that the advice and information in this book are believed to be true and accurate at the date of publication. Neither the publisher nor the authors or the editors give a warranty, express or implied, with respect to the material contained herein or for any errors or omissions that may have been made. The publisher remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Nanoscience for Sustainable Agriculture, 2019

Reliable and timely detection of plant pathogens plays an important role in crop health monitorin... more Reliable and timely detection of plant pathogens plays an important role in crop health monitoring to reduce disease spread and facilitate effective management practices. Several methods have been employed for diagnosing crop diseases including visual inspection of symptoms, serological assays, and DNA-based detection of pathogen. These techniques are less reliable at asymptomatic stage. Additionally, they are time consuming, required costly equipment, produced false negative results from cross contamination, and need professional experts. Another most important limitation is their inability to reach at farmers field. To overcome these hurdles, recent developments in nanotools enabled to miniature the processes for developing biosensors for detecting pathogen presence in plants using antibody, DNA, and volatile compounds as biosensing receptors. Thus, nanobiosensor-based technology provides a new dimension in plant diseases diagnostic systems by offering nondestructive, minimally invasive, economical, and easy-to-use systems with enhanced detection limit, sensitivity, specificity, and on-site detection of plant pathogens. Briefly, the present chapter provides an overview in the development of nanosensing systems for plant pathogen diagnostics.

Frontiers in Microbiology, 2020

Salinity stress is an important plant growth limiting factor influencing crop productivity negati... more Salinity stress is an important plant growth limiting factor influencing crop productivity negatively. Microbial interventions for salinity stress mitigation have invited significant attention due to the promising impacts of interactive associations on the intrinsic mechanisms of plants. We report the impact of microbial inoculation of a halotolerant methylotrophic actinobacterium (Nocardioides sp. NIMMe6; LC140963) and seed coating of its phytohormone-rich bacterial culture filtrate extract (BCFE) on wheat seedlings grown under saline conditions. Different plant-growth-promoting (PGP) attributes of the bacterium in terms of its growth in N-limiting media and siderophore and phytohormone [indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and salicylic acid] production influenced plant growth positively. Microbial inoculation and priming with BCFE resulted in improved germination (92% in primed seeds at 10 dS m −1), growth, and biochemical accumulation (total protein 42.01 and 28.75 mg g −1 in shoot and root tissues at 10 dS m −1 in BCFE-primed seeds) and enhanced the activity level of antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase, catalase, peroxidase, and ascorbate peroxidase) to confer stress mitigation. Biopriming with BCFE proved impactful. The BCFE application has further influenced the overexpression of defense-related genes in the seedlings grown under salinity stress condition. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometrybased characterization of the biomolecules in the BCFE revealed quantification of salicylate and indole-3-acetate (Rt 4.978 min, m/z 138.1 and 6.177 min, 129.1), respectively. The high tolerance limit of the bacterium to 10% NaCl in the culture media suggested its possible survival and growth under high soil salinity condition as microbial inoculant. The production of a high quantity of IAA (45.6 µg ml −1 of culture filtrate) by the bacterium reflected its capability to not only support plant growth under salinity condition but also mitigate stress due to the impact of phytohormone as defense mitigators. The study suggested that although microbial inoculation offers stress mitigation in plants, the phytohormone-rich BCFE from Nocardioides sp. NIMMe6 has potential implications for defense against salinity stress in wheat.

Plant-Microbe Interactions in Agro-Ecological Perspectives, 2017

Microbes with uncountable number of species represent the most abundant organisms on earth. Micro... more Microbes with uncountable number of species represent the most abundant organisms on earth. Microorganism plays vital role in the pesticide bioremediation. Pesticide biodegradation capacity exhibited by soil microbes is among the major factor limiting contamination and preserving the resilience of soil. Numerous studies are dedicated over bioremediation of pesticides through different microbial species. The biotransformations in natural system is a common process and many times necessary for the survival of microorganisms, leading to biological degradation of applied pesticides. Microbial evolution and bioremediation exhibits a natural balance between them. Bioremediation through microbes reflects numerous benefits, for instance, there is least possibility of environmental disturbance, economical, and lesser likelihood of secondary exposure along with no disturbance to the ecosystem. Owing to these reasons, the isolation and characterization of microbial species with the capability of pesticide bioremediation are gaining attention of scientists from last many years.

Environmental Sustainability, 2019

Arsenic (As) contamination is an issue recognized as a serious risk throughout the world. Among s... more Arsenic (As) contamination is an issue recognized as a serious risk throughout the world. Among several oxidation states of As existing in the environment, like arsenate [As (V)], arsenite [As (III)], elemental As [As (0)] and arsenide, toxicity of As (III) is 25-60 times more than As (V). Over the period the accumulation of As in the environment has increased several folds thereby contaminating the soil and resulting in biomagnification affecting the food chain. As-contaminated drinking water and its accumulation in food leads to its long term exposure and is a threat not only to human health but to animals and plants also. Toxicity of As in animals and humans via food warrants in developing appropriate regulatory measures as well as remediation of As contaminated environments by feasible technologies. Commonly in such cases As removal is done by the chemical based conventional techniques such as precipitation, oxidation and reduction as well as ion exchange, filtration and reverse osmosis. Such techniques are not only costly but also have drawbacks on account of removal accuracy and are not environment-friendly as they result in secondary pollution caused by chemicals used in the process. There is need for development of affordable, environment friendly and sustainable options of remediation in which microorganisms can provide an aid. Capability of microorganisms for transformation of As into various oxidation states with different solubility, mobility and toxicity can be used in As bioremediation strategies. The biological metabolic properties of the microbes which make them able to survive in high exposure of As need to be explored and exploited in developing cost effective and sustainable large-scale As remediation bio-systems.

International Journal of Molecular Sciences

Vegetable crops possess a prominent nutri-metabolite pool that not only contributes to the crop p... more Vegetable crops possess a prominent nutri-metabolite pool that not only contributes to the crop performance in the fields, but also offers nutritional security for humans. In the pursuit of identifying, quantifying and functionally characterizing the cellular metabolome pool, biomolecule separation technologies, data acquisition platforms, chemical libraries, bioinformatics tools, databases and visualization techniques have come to play significant role. High-throughput metabolomics unravels structurally diverse nutrition-rich metabolites and their entangled interactions in vegetable plants. It has helped to link identified phytometabolites with unique phenotypic traits, nutri-functional characters, defense mechanisms and crop productivity. In this study, we explore mining diverse metabolites, localizing cellular metabolic pathways, classifying functional biomolecules and establishing linkages between metabolic fluxes and genomic regulations, using comprehensive metabolomics deciphe...

Advances in Seed Priming

Plant growth and development are greatly affected by various biotic and abiotic stresses. Various... more Plant growth and development are greatly affected by various biotic and abiotic stresses. Various strategies are utilized to minimize stresses in plants. Seed priming with beneficial microorganisms is one of the most beneficial methods to improve plant growth and development and induce systemic tolerance in plants towards biotic as well as abiotic stresses. Seed priming is a method of conditioning the seeds by plant growth-promoting microbes which provide better abilities to the plant to withstand various environmental challenges beginning from seed germination. Seed priming with beneficial microorganism is also known as bio-priming that enhances seed germination, protects germinating seed from different phytopathogens, and provides suitable conditions for establishment of the plant. Bio-priming has several mechanisms to stimulate morphogenesis and plant immunity, viz., production of phytohormones, induced expression of plant growth-promoting genes, increased nutrient status into the plant, mycoparasitism, antibiosis, induced phenolic production, activation of antioxidant production, and systemic defense activation. Some important microorganisms that synthesize phytohormones include Azotobacter spp., Pantoea agglomerans, Rhodospirillum rubrum, Rhizobium spp., Bacillus subtilis, Pseudomonas fluorescens, Paenibacillus polymyxa, Trichoderma spp., Pseudomonas putida, Rhizobium phaseoli, Bacillus cereus, and Acinetobacter calcoaceticus. The main objective of this chapter is to enlighten the importance of seed priming with microorganisms and the role of different phytohormones produced by them in modulating growth, development, and defense activation in the host plant.

Microbial Interventions in Agriculture and Environment, 2019

Essentiality of omics research clubbed with the bioinformatics data analysis has been perceived i... more Essentiality of omics research clubbed with the bioinformatics data analysis has been perceived in a long time for the advancement of science and innovation. Bioinformatics finds a direct application in the crop improvement programs. The availability of complete genomes of microbial species, economically important crops, animals, and the whole environment (metagenomes) facilitated high-throughput studies for the opening of new avenues to improve crop programs. Different approaches, such as microbial and plant genome comparisons, genetic mapping strategies, and evolutionary analyses, involved in crop development programs are possible through bioinformatics data analysis. New genes, novel proteins and their functions, unique metabolites and their quantitative profile, and metabolic pathways generated from microbes, plants, and animals seemed to have yielded much expected values in terms of new targets or strategies for the development of crop plants in agriculture. Recent work on this subject helped us in dealing with such issues realistically and optimistically in a socially responsible way. Omics-aided research in microbial and plant sciences genuinely help us to consider that people are exploring novel scientific and technological systems to improve human health, human food and animal feed production, overall agricultural productivity, and environmental protection.

Microbial Interventions in Agriculture and Environment, 2019

Sustainability in agriculture without compromising environmental quality, agro-ecosystem function... more Sustainability in agriculture without compromising environmental quality, agro-ecosystem function, and diversity conservation is among the major concerns of present-day agriculture worldwide. The unseen microbial communities play a vital role for solving various problems of today’s agriculture. They can equally benefit crop production and protection systems, food security, public health, and social well-being. Both pathogenic and beneficial microorganisms constitute a key living component of soil and plant system managing ecological balance, ecosystem function, agricultural productivity, crop quality and human wellness, and livestock health. PGPR-mediated stress mitigation in plants is reported for different crops across the world. Commercial use of microbial inoculants for improving crop growth and productivity under stressed environments could constitute a prominently viable and sustainable approach for enhancing agricultural productivity.

Journal of Biological Control, 2000

The application of Trichoderma viride on loose smut infected seeds ( Ustilago segetum var. tritic... more The application of Trichoderma viride on loose smut infected seeds ( Ustilago segetum var. tritici ) or in soil, reduced the smutted tillers up to 17.5 per cent. However, treatment of T. viride alone was not as effective as carboxin seed treatment in the control of loose smut. Maximum reduction was observed in dry seed treatment with antagonist as well as seed treatment plus soil application. The effect of T. viride was more prominent in the seed lot having lower level of loose smut infection. Application of T. viride along with half dose of carboxin was however. found as effective as full recommended dose of carboxin (2.5 g/kg of seed). Soaking of seeds in tap water for 24h also reduced tbe incidence of loose smut by 15.4 per cent.

Crop Improvement Through Microbial Biotechnology, 2018

Abstract Actinomycetes represent important microbial communities in the soils and inhabit very hi... more Abstract Actinomycetes represent important microbial communities in the soils and inhabit very high proportion of soil microbial biomass that has the capacity to produce a wide range of high-value antibiotics, organic acids, phytohormones, extracellular enzymes, bioactive compounds, and secondary metabolites other than antimicrobials. Several strains of actinomycetes were found to promote plant growth directly and protect plants against phytopathogens and plant pests. The potential of this important microbial community for agricultural productivity is being greatly realized because they are a good source for agroactive compounds, plant growth-promoting substances, and biocontrol tools of the control of plant diseases. This chapter describes certain important aspects of actinomycetes in plant growth promotion and biological control.

Microbial Interventions in Agriculture and Environment, 2019

Biopriming of seeds represents standard approach for introduction of disease resistance via bioco... more Biopriming of seeds represents standard approach for introduction of disease resistance via biocontrol agents. Priming of seeds with beneficial microorganisms and biocontrol agents has been reported more efficiently for the management of diseases and pests as compared to other available methodologies. The technique is also reported to stimulate cellular, molecular, and biochemical defense responses in plants toward resistance induction against abiotic stresses. Plants essentially live with microbial communities that colonize aerial parts as well as roots both externally (epiphytic) and internally (endophytic). By providing nutritional and defense-related support influencing distinct genetic cascades, biochemical pathways, and metabolite accumulation or excretion, microbes can fundamentally alter plant phenotypes and enable plants to tolerate stress conditions and at the same time enhance crop productivity. We discussed various techniques of seed biopriming as viable options for health management in crop plants and also presented case examples from rice fields.

Journal of Fungi, 2021

Identification and diversity analysis of fungi is greatly challenging. Though internal transcribe... more Identification and diversity analysis of fungi is greatly challenging. Though internal transcribed spacer (ITS), region-based DNA fingerprinting works as a “gold standard” for most of the fungal species group, it cannot differentiate between all the groups and cryptic species. Therefore, it is of paramount importance to find an alternative approach for strain differentiation. Availability of whole genome sequence data of nearly 2000 fungal species are a promising solution to such requirement. We present whole genome sequence-based world’s largest microsatellite database, FungSatDB having >19M loci obtained from >1900 fungal species/strains using >4000 assemblies across globe. Genotyping efficacy of FungSatDB has been evaluated by both in-silico and in-vitro PCR. By in silico PCR, 66 strains of 8 countries representing four continents were successfully differentiated. Genotyping efficacy was also evaluated by in vitro PCR in four fungal species. This approach overcomes limit...

In natural ecology and cultivated condition, plants and crop species are subjected to numerous st... more In natural ecology and cultivated condition, plants and crop species are subjected to numerous stresses which influence their growth and development. Stress in plants can be regarded as an alteration in growth phage which causes interruption in metabolic homeostasis. Plant pathogens correspond to biotic stresses while different environmental factors accounts for abiotic stresses. Plants take action towards these stresses and evolved improved adaptation by triggering their machinery. Currently, a number of studies are going on for better understanding of plants adaptation and survival in different stresses and this is resulting in a large amount of data. Therefore, there is need of proper management, investigation and interpretation of this data for decoding plant strategies towards stresses. This has led to development of various databases and resources upholding information and details about stresses in numerous crops and plants. In this article, we are providing a brief detail of ...

Biomolecules, 2020

Microbial biomolecules have huge commercial and industrial potential. In nature, biological inter... more Microbial biomolecules have huge commercial and industrial potential. In nature, biological interactions are mostly associated with biochemical and biological diversity, especially with the discovery of associated biomolecules from microbes. Within cellular or subcellular systems, biomolecules signify the actual statuses of the microorganisms. Understanding the biological prospecting of the diverse microbial community and their complexities and communications with the environment forms a vital basis for active, innovative biotechnological breakthroughs. Biochemical diversity rather than the specific chemicals that has the utmost biological importance. The identification and quantification of the comprehensive biochemical diversity of the microbial molecules, which generally consequences in a diversity of biological functions, has significant biotechnological potential. Beneficial microbes and their biomolecules of interest can assist as potential constituents for the wide-range of n...

Plant Bioinformatics, 2017

Essentiality of bioinformatics was perceived from a long time for the advancement of science and ... more Essentiality of bioinformatics was perceived from a long time for the advancement of science and innovation. Bioinformatics finds direct application in the crop improvement programs. It helps out researchers in connecting genetic makeup with commercial traits. Availability of complete genomes of numerous economically important crops and advancement in facilities and experimentation for high-throughput studies open new avenues for crop improvement. Different approaches like plant genome comparisons, genetic mapping strategies, evolutionary analyses, etc. involved in crop development programs are nowadays possible through bioinformatics data analysis. For a few of the scientists, the new genes, novel proteins, and their functions, unique metabolites, quantitative profile, metabolic pathways, etc. seemed to have yielded fewer than what have been earlier expected in terms of new targets or strategies for development of crop plants in agricultural science. Though, recent work on this subject has helped us further realistically and still optimistically deal with such issues in a socially responsible academic exercise. Thus, while some “microarray” or “bioinformatics” scientists may have been criticized as doing “cataloging research,” mass of researchers consider that they are genuinely exploring novel scientific and technological systems and techniques to help human health, human food and animal feed production, overall agricultural productivity, and environmental protection. Indeed, the complexity, extent, and measure of cross talks in biological systems are huge, but simultaneously we need to become more knowledgeable and able to start addressing honestly and skillfully the significant issues regarding global agriculture and the environment.

Many bacteria have the potential to use specific pesticides as a source of carbon, phosphorous, n... more Many bacteria have the potential to use specific pesticides as a source of carbon, phosphorous, nitrogen and sulphur. Acephate degradation by microbes is considered to be a safe and effective method. The overall aim of the present study was to identify acephate biodegrading microorganisms and to investigate the degradation rates of acephate under the stress of humic acid and most common metal ions Fe(III) and copper Cu(II). Pseudomonas azotoformanss strain ACP1, Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain ACP2, and Pseudomonas putida ACP3 were isolated from acephate contaminated soils. Acephate of concentration 100 ppm was incubated with separate strain inoculums and periodic samples were drawn for UV—visible, FTIR (Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy) and MS (Mass Spectrometry) analysis. Methamidophos, S-methyl O-hydrogen phosphorothioamidate, phosphenothioic S-acid, and phosphenamide were the major metabolites formed during the degradation of acephate. The rate of degradation was applied us...

Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology, 1999

Nanotechnology in the Life Sciences, 2019

For many years, fungi have been considered as a high-potential biofactory for the production of n... more For many years, fungi have been considered as a high-potential biofactory for the production of nanoparticles based on their fast growth and high yield. Of a different fungal group, edible mushrooms have been given more attention as a biofactory based on their generally regarded as safe (GRAS) status according to the FDA. Therefore, many types of mushrooms have been widely employed for the production of nanoparticles, such as those belonging to Agaricus, Ganoderma, Pleurotus, Schizophyllum, Cordyceps, and Trametes species. This chapter reviews in detail the biosynthesis and new processes applied for the production of nanomaterials using mushrooms, with a special focus on the factors affecting the biosynthesis and characterization of the nanoparticle. In addition, more attention was given to the recent trend and potential medical applications of metal nanoparticles derived from mushrooms. Furthermore, other applications of mushroom metal nanoparticles in the environment and agricultu...

The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this p... more The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use. The publisher, the authors and the editors are safe to assume that the advice and information in this book are believed to be true and accurate at the date of publication. Neither the publisher nor the authors or the editors give a warranty, express or implied, with respect to the material contained herein or for any errors or omissions that may have been made. The publisher remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Nanoscience for Sustainable Agriculture, 2019

Reliable and timely detection of plant pathogens plays an important role in crop health monitorin... more Reliable and timely detection of plant pathogens plays an important role in crop health monitoring to reduce disease spread and facilitate effective management practices. Several methods have been employed for diagnosing crop diseases including visual inspection of symptoms, serological assays, and DNA-based detection of pathogen. These techniques are less reliable at asymptomatic stage. Additionally, they are time consuming, required costly equipment, produced false negative results from cross contamination, and need professional experts. Another most important limitation is their inability to reach at farmers field. To overcome these hurdles, recent developments in nanotools enabled to miniature the processes for developing biosensors for detecting pathogen presence in plants using antibody, DNA, and volatile compounds as biosensing receptors. Thus, nanobiosensor-based technology provides a new dimension in plant diseases diagnostic systems by offering nondestructive, minimally invasive, economical, and easy-to-use systems with enhanced detection limit, sensitivity, specificity, and on-site detection of plant pathogens. Briefly, the present chapter provides an overview in the development of nanosensing systems for plant pathogen diagnostics.

Frontiers in Microbiology, 2020

Salinity stress is an important plant growth limiting factor influencing crop productivity negati... more Salinity stress is an important plant growth limiting factor influencing crop productivity negatively. Microbial interventions for salinity stress mitigation have invited significant attention due to the promising impacts of interactive associations on the intrinsic mechanisms of plants. We report the impact of microbial inoculation of a halotolerant methylotrophic actinobacterium (Nocardioides sp. NIMMe6; LC140963) and seed coating of its phytohormone-rich bacterial culture filtrate extract (BCFE) on wheat seedlings grown under saline conditions. Different plant-growth-promoting (PGP) attributes of the bacterium in terms of its growth in N-limiting media and siderophore and phytohormone [indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and salicylic acid] production influenced plant growth positively. Microbial inoculation and priming with BCFE resulted in improved germination (92% in primed seeds at 10 dS m −1), growth, and biochemical accumulation (total protein 42.01 and 28.75 mg g −1 in shoot and root tissues at 10 dS m −1 in BCFE-primed seeds) and enhanced the activity level of antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase, catalase, peroxidase, and ascorbate peroxidase) to confer stress mitigation. Biopriming with BCFE proved impactful. The BCFE application has further influenced the overexpression of defense-related genes in the seedlings grown under salinity stress condition. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometrybased characterization of the biomolecules in the BCFE revealed quantification of salicylate and indole-3-acetate (Rt 4.978 min, m/z 138.1 and 6.177 min, 129.1), respectively. The high tolerance limit of the bacterium to 10% NaCl in the culture media suggested its possible survival and growth under high soil salinity condition as microbial inoculant. The production of a high quantity of IAA (45.6 µg ml −1 of culture filtrate) by the bacterium reflected its capability to not only support plant growth under salinity condition but also mitigate stress due to the impact of phytohormone as defense mitigators. The study suggested that although microbial inoculation offers stress mitigation in plants, the phytohormone-rich BCFE from Nocardioides sp. NIMMe6 has potential implications for defense against salinity stress in wheat.

Plant-Microbe Interactions in Agro-Ecological Perspectives, 2017

Microbes with uncountable number of species represent the most abundant organisms on earth. Micro... more Microbes with uncountable number of species represent the most abundant organisms on earth. Microorganism plays vital role in the pesticide bioremediation. Pesticide biodegradation capacity exhibited by soil microbes is among the major factor limiting contamination and preserving the resilience of soil. Numerous studies are dedicated over bioremediation of pesticides through different microbial species. The biotransformations in natural system is a common process and many times necessary for the survival of microorganisms, leading to biological degradation of applied pesticides. Microbial evolution and bioremediation exhibits a natural balance between them. Bioremediation through microbes reflects numerous benefits, for instance, there is least possibility of environmental disturbance, economical, and lesser likelihood of secondary exposure along with no disturbance to the ecosystem. Owing to these reasons, the isolation and characterization of microbial species with the capability of pesticide bioremediation are gaining attention of scientists from last many years.

Environmental Sustainability, 2019

Arsenic (As) contamination is an issue recognized as a serious risk throughout the world. Among s... more Arsenic (As) contamination is an issue recognized as a serious risk throughout the world. Among several oxidation states of As existing in the environment, like arsenate [As (V)], arsenite [As (III)], elemental As [As (0)] and arsenide, toxicity of As (III) is 25-60 times more than As (V). Over the period the accumulation of As in the environment has increased several folds thereby contaminating the soil and resulting in biomagnification affecting the food chain. As-contaminated drinking water and its accumulation in food leads to its long term exposure and is a threat not only to human health but to animals and plants also. Toxicity of As in animals and humans via food warrants in developing appropriate regulatory measures as well as remediation of As contaminated environments by feasible technologies. Commonly in such cases As removal is done by the chemical based conventional techniques such as precipitation, oxidation and reduction as well as ion exchange, filtration and reverse osmosis. Such techniques are not only costly but also have drawbacks on account of removal accuracy and are not environment-friendly as they result in secondary pollution caused by chemicals used in the process. There is need for development of affordable, environment friendly and sustainable options of remediation in which microorganisms can provide an aid. Capability of microorganisms for transformation of As into various oxidation states with different solubility, mobility and toxicity can be used in As bioremediation strategies. The biological metabolic properties of the microbes which make them able to survive in high exposure of As need to be explored and exploited in developing cost effective and sustainable large-scale As remediation bio-systems.