Search

Abstract Defoliation is a primary agronomic traits, its variation depends on different plant species or cultivars. The present article assess the leaf morphological responses, oxidative metabolites and enzymatic activities at sheath base of sugarcane cultivars during defoliation stage of plant leaves. The mature leaf sheath of GT47 strongly wrapped to the stem, and no stem was exposed. The upper and lower edges of the immature fusing abscission zone were parallel, and slightly lower browning area (+ 3 to + 7 leaf position). The ROC22 cultivar was monitored highest leaf sheath-based cellulose and lignin content, followed by GT60 and GT47. Peroxidase activity was higher in leaf sheath base edge (ROC22) as compare to other cultivars. The malondialdehyde content was found highest in GT60, followed by ROC22, and GT47. The exo-β-1,4-glucanase/ cellobiohydrolase activity was found highest in the margin of GT47 than lateral and medial axis of ROC22 and GT60. The axis activity increased exponentially, and ROC22 gradually decreased from the periphery of the mid-axis and lower than GT47 and GT60 in the lateral and mid-axis of leaf. In conclusion, the mature leaves are easy to defoliate mainly loose leaf sheaths, large leaf sheath inclination angles, more deformation during the growth period of the abscission zone, early with large cracks, and slow browning process. Leaf sheaths with high fibre and lignin content showed significant hardness and thickness. The sugarcane cultivars showed positive correlation between peroxidase and malondialdehyde content with the browning process at the base of mature leaf sheaths.

Winemaking, one of the ancient technologies, is simply the process of converting sugar into alcohol through a complex biochemical reaction. The process of winemaking involves a complex of enological technique that faces a host of challenges in a winery including, inconsistent quality due to chemical and microbiological instability, limited sensory flavor profiles, and concerns met with changing micro-environmental conditions. Fermentation is a metabolic process where the chemical composition of an organic substrate is fragmented via the cellular enzymes under anaerobic conditions. Mixed fermentation, which involves using multiple strains, can enhance the aroma of fermented food, overcome the limitations of single strain fermentation, and improve flavor and quality of food. Mixed fermentation has important applications for agro-food industries, healthcare products and medical sciences. The modern mixed fermentation process showed the enhancement of wine aroma, flavor and taste, reducing volatile acidity and upregulating the phenylethyl acetate concentration through synergistic effect of multiple microorganisms. Key microorganisms in alcohol fermentation, such as yeast, lactic acid and acetic acid bacteria, interact with each other during alcohol fermentation process affects the quality and flavor of the wine. Extremophilic microorganisms have established different molecular strategies to survive amidst the adverse conditions. Biocatalysts isolated by these organisms are termed extremozymes and possess extraordinary properties of salt allowance, thermostability, and cold adaptability. However, the physicochemical and sensory properties of alcohol are important to the quality of end-use products. Therefore, when optimizing fermentation conditions, selecting a right combination of microorganisms is the key to derive better physicochemical and sensory properties. However, the use of mixed fermentation and extremozymes can provide significant insight and potential remedial solutions to overcome these technical problems and shape the final product in more desirable and sustainable ways, challenging the current shortcomings to deliver a more resilient end-products with consistent, flavorful, and a number of what may be considered remedial techniques can be employed to produce an acceptable product to consumers.

The northeastern part of China is a traditional sugar beet cultivation area where the soils are classified generally as the black and albic soil types with low boron (B) availability. Boron fertilizer can increase soil B content and significantly improve crop yield and quality. At present, the effects of slow-release B fertilizer on beet root yield and quality remain unclear. Two sugar beet varieties KWS1197 and KWS0143 were selected as the research materials; and biologically evaluated with three dosage rates of 0, 15, and 30 kg ha-1 in two soil types. Results showed that slow-release B fertilizer (30 kg ha-1) improved sugar beet net photosynthetic rate (13.6%) and transpiration rate (9.8%), as well as enhanced dry matter accumulation and the transfer to underground parts (23.1%) for higher root yield (1.4 to 9.7% in black soil and 3.5-14.2% in albic soil). Specifically, boron fertilizer greatly increased root B accumulation, as evidenced by decreasing amino N and Na contents alongside increasing surose (Pol) content. Slow-release B fertilizer increased white sugar yield by 3.5 to 35.7% in black soil and 5.8 to 20.8% in albic soil. In conclusion, applying slow-release B fertilizer is an effective strategy to increase sugar beet yield and quality in northeast China, with a recommended application rate of 30 kg ha-1. These findings established a baseline for formulating effective and futristic fertilizer for sugar beet.

By analysing biochemical composition, assessing soil quality, projecting yields, predicting productivity, identifying illnesses, and predicting productivity, artificial intelligence (AI) has greatly improved sugarcane cultivation. This study discusses the latest research on artificial intelligence (AI) in sugarcane farming, with particular attention given to soil biochemistry, disease detection, climate-smart technology for greenhouse gas emissions, yield and water productivity prediction, and cane juice biochemistry. Artificial intelligence (AI) tools, such as machine learning algorithms, can optimize irrigation, increase yields, save water, and properly estimate sugarcane production. Because of the effectiveness, affordability, and efficiency of AI, it is essential in sugarcane agriculture for accurate yield forecasting as well as for streamlining resource allocation and crop management. AI facilitates prompt interventions by assisting in early disease identification and production prediction. AI can also forecast soil organic carbon (SOC) levels, which can help guide sustainability and soil health initiatives. The comprehensive global review identifies research gaps in the literature and suggests potential avenues and directions for future research.

The requirement for agricultural crops continues to enhance with the continuous growth of the human population globally. Plant pathogenic diseases outbreaks are enhancing and threatening food security and safety for the vulnerable in different regions worldwide. Silicon (Si) is considered a non-essential element for plant growth. It regulates the biological functions, plant development and productivity, and balance the defense mechanism in response to fungal, bacterial and pest attacks. The optimum crop yield can be achieved by applying Si in agricultural systems through different methods to replace or minimize the use of synthetic fertilizers. This approach can be effective on crop production during limited resources, extreme climates, pests and diseases, and environmental pollution. Silicon can be applied as foliar spray, priming of seeds, soil water irrigation, soil amendment and soilless medium (hydroponic) to enhance plant performance and stress tolerance capacity during stress conditions. This article summarized the effective roles of Si and the ability to perform in agroecosystems for better crop production, food security and safety for sustainable agriculture in the future.

Biochar has the potential to become a more promising carbon source with a broad range of applications in soil agroecosystems. The depletion of soil minerals is a big problem due to soil erosion and leaching of nutrients. Biochar is a soil conditioner used in crop production to improve soil profile, increase fertilizer use efficiency, plant growth and development, carbon sequestration, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It is persistent in the environment and retains water, nutrients, and contaminants. It can also be applied in environmental rehabilitation for remediating contaminated soil. Applied biochar significantly enhanced the nutrients in the rhizospheric soil and reduced the bioavailability and uptake of heavy metals. The enhancement of soil nutrient values was the major functional mechanism for enhancing plant protection and production. Overall, the results of this mini-review are significant because they provide the strategies and technological direction for using biochar in sustainable agricultural systems.

IntroductionIn semiarid tropical locations, polyhalite (K2Ca2Mg(SO4)4H2O) and muriate potash (KCl) were tested for their ability to increase cane growth, yield, and recovery at potash (K)- and calcium (Ca)-deficient sites.MethodsThe treatments involved control plots with no potash fertilizer (T1); T2 and T3 applied potassium through (muriate potash) MOP only at 80 and 120 kg K2O ha−1, whereas T4 and T5 applied potassium with half of MOP and polyhalite at 80 and 120 kg K2O ha−1, respectively.Results and discussionAt 35 days after harvest (DAH), T2 (10.82%), T3 (24.1%), T4 (34.9%), and T5 (34.9%) had a greater ratoon resprouting rate than did the control treatment, where it was just 37.0 out of 100 harvested canes. At 308 DAH, T2 (−5.9%), T3 (−5.7%), and T5 (−6.6%) presented greater leaf chlorophyll contents than did T1. The K-fertilized plots yielded 64.31 t ha−1 in T2 and 65.97 t ha−1 in T5, whereas the control plot yielded 61.5 t ha−1. Compared with the control plots, the T5 plots experienced fewer stalk borer (−28.6%), top borer (−23.3%), and early shoot borer (−23.3%) attacks. T2, T4, and T5 presented higher percentages of commercial cane sugar (CCS) (6.82, 8.83, and 8.74%, respectively) than did the control plots. T1 and T3 had similar CCSs (10.99 and 11.33%, respectively). The CCS weight per area ranged from 7.98 to 8.47 t ha−1 near maturity. T4 (8.59 t ha−1) and T5 (8.60 t ha−1) had significantly greater values than did T1–T3. Compared with the control, the applied potassium fertilizer increased the economic output by 8,711, 11,687, 13,485, and 13,857 INR ha−1 in the T2, T3, T4, and T5 plots, respectively. The higher cost of polyhalite than MOP has reduced its economic advantages. Thus, the T4 plots outperformed the other treatments in terms of growth, yield, and quality indices, but their higher values (120 kg K2O ha−1) were statistically equivalent.ConclusionFinally, the study concluded that MOP and polyhalite at a 50% ratio of 80 kg K2O ha−1 may help improve sugarcane growth, yield, and quality in semiarid tropical locations.

Abstract Plant cellulose synthase is one of the important glycosyltransferases, which catalyzes the synthesis of the paracrystalline of H-bonded-β-(1,4)-glucose chains. This study isolated the cellulose synthase 3 (Ces3) sequence from sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.) leaves. SoCes3 (GenBank accession No. MG324347) has a full-length cDNA sequence of 3625 bp. It contains an open reading frame (3225 bp), encoding 1074 amino acids with a molecular weight of about 120.89 kDa and isoelectric point of 6.26. SoCes3 protein showed high activity with other plant cellulose synthases. The recombinant protein contains plant cellulose synthase (Ces) protein conservative domains. In subcellular localization experiments, the fusion protein of SoCes3 with green fluorescent protein (GFP) was specifically localized in the cell membrane. The gene expression of SoCes3 was found in the leaf, leaf sheath, and internodes of the sugarcane stem. The highest expression level was found in the internode, especially with the highest expression level in the 5th internode and lowest in the leaves, and the gene expression level of SoCes3 was upregulated by PP333 and not in gibberellic acid-treated plants. It was conducted in tobacco plants to understand the biotechnological potential of SoCes3. The contents of cellulose and lignin were increased in SoCes3-overexpressing tobacco. Transcriptomic analysis showed that the transgenic tobacco induced different genes associated with different biological regulatory processes. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) mediated plant hormone signal transduction, starch and sucrose metabolism signaling pathways were widely induced and mostly upregulated. The transcription levels in SoCes3-overexpressing transgenic lines were higher than wild-type. Graphical Abstract

In order to explore the variation in volatile compounds and aroma profiles of different varieties of sugarcane wine, volatile compounds of 14 different varieties of sugarcane wine were analyzed by headspace solid-phase microextraction–gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC-MS) and an electronic sensory system. The differences in flavor substances of different cultivars of sugarcane were assessed by orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) discriminant model and relative odor activity value (ROAV) combined with multivariate statistical methods. The results showed that a total of sixty major volatile compounds, i.e., 27 esters, 15 alcohols, eight acids, three phenols, four aldehydes and ketones, and four others, were identified in 14 types of sugarcane wine. Seven key aroma compounds were screened out: ethyl caprylate, ethyl caprate, ethyl acetate, ethyl laurate, n-decanoic acid, 2,4-di-tert-butylphenol, and 2-phenylethanol and three differential aromas, i.e., ethyl palmitate, isobutyl alcohol, and caprylic acid. The electronic nose and electronic tongue analysis technology can effectively distinguish the aroma and taste of 14 sugarcane wines. It is confirmed that the aroma and taste of 14 sugarcane wines have differences in distribution patterns, and the results are consistent with the analysis and assessment of volatile compounds of sugarcane wine. The results of this study provide technical support for the production and quality improvement of sugarcane wine.

Abstract To meet the global food demand while maintaining the minimum possible negative impacts on the soil, air, and water, sustainable and precise agricultural practices are essential. The efficient use of engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) can replace conventional fertilizers and pesticides, subsequently minimizing the environmental impact of agricultural approaches. Slow-release or controlled-release nitrogenous fertilizers may enhance crop productivity while alleviating agro-environmental constraints. Nitrogen is the essential element which limits worldwide agricultural production. Despite numerous efforts, the N-use efficiency (NUE) in agriculture remains around 50%. The ongoing investigation of novel approaches has resulted in the synthesis of innovative nanomaterials (NMs), providing a potent mechanism for the development of unique element characteristics. The most promising engineered materials being explored, whether for soil or foliar applications, is nanofertilizers. Although not much is known about the usage of NFs, significant results have been observed in various plant species. Granular fertilizers are commonly applied to the soil for the nitrogen requirement of plants. These fertilizers may cause more losses due to the surface runoff or leaching with ammonia volatilization and N oxides (N2O, NO, NOx) emissions. n-NFs are expected to improve NUE by increasing the efficiency of N delivery to plants and minimizing N losses to the environment. A chance to use n-NFs in plants may arise in unique conditions with increasing economic and environmental limitations. This article highlights the possible application of n-NFs as a novel strategy to ensure NUE with the reduction in N losses to the environment, including addressing its potential for sustainable agriculture. Graphical Abstract

The mutualistic plant rhizobacteria which improve plant development and productivity are known as plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR). It is more significant due to their ability to help the plants in different ways. The main physiological responses, such as malondialdehyde, membrane stability index, relative leaf water content, photosynthetic leaf gas exchange, chlorophyll fluorescence efficiency of photosystem-II, and photosynthetic pigments are observed in plants during unfavorable environmental conditions. Plant rhizobacteria are one of the more crucial chemical messengers that mediate plant development in response to stressed conditions. The interaction of plant rhizobacteria with essential plant nutrition can enhance the agricultural sustainability of various plant genotypes or cultivars. Rhizobacterial inoculated plants induce biochemical variations resulting in increased stress resistance efficiency, defined as induced systemic resistance. Omic strategies revealed plant rhizobacteria inoculation caused the upregulation of stress-responsive genes—numerous recent approaches have been developed to protect plants from unfavorable environmental threats. The plant microbes and compounds they secrete constitute valuable biostimulants and play significant roles in regulating plant stress mechanisms. The present review summarized the recent developments in the functional characteristics and action mechanisms of plant rhizobacteria in sustaining the development and production of plants under unfavorable environmental conditions, with special attention on plant rhizobacteria-mediated physiological and molecular responses associated with stress-induced responses.

Sustainable food security and safety are major concerns on a global scale, especially in developed nations. Adverse agroclimatic conditions affect the largest agricultural-producing areas, which reduces the production of crops. Achieving sustainable food safety is challenging because of several factors, such as soil flooding/waterlogging, ultraviolet (UV) rays, acidic/sodic soil, hazardous ions, low and high temperatures, and nutritional imbalances. Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) are widely employed in in-vitro conditions because they are widely recognized as a more environmentally and sustainably friendly approach to increasing crop yield in contaminated and fertile soil. Conversely, the use of nanoparticles (NPs) as an amendment in the soil has recently been proposed as an economical way to enhance the texture of the soil and improving agricultural yields. Nowadays, various research experiments have combined or individually applied with the PGPR and NPs for balancing soil elements and crop yield in response to control and adverse situations, with the expectation that both additives might perform well together. According to several research findings, interactive applications significantly increase sustainable crop yields more than PGPR or NPs alone. The present review summarized the functional and mechanistic basis of the interactive role of PGPR and NPs. However, this article focused on the potential of the research direction to realize the possible interaction of PGPR and NPs at a large scale in the upcoming years.

Green tea is a non-fermented tea with flavor and polyphenols. Aroma is one of the important quality indicators of tea. Fermented green tea wine can solve the problem of low-grade tea, which has more bitterness and less aroma. In this study, Camellia sinensis var. pubilimba Hung T. Chang (Kaishan white tea 2) was screened by orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) to benzyl alcohol and phenethyl alcohol presenting a fruity aroma, dimethyl sulfide presenting a green tea aroma, and rich tea polyphenols with contents of 2.08, 2.43, 12.26 and 3.72%, respectively. The optimal fermentation conditions for green tea wine were determined univariately as 1.5% yeast addition, 30 °Brix initial sugar, and fermentation temperature of 25 °C. The electronic sensory assessment showed that the saltiness, richness and umami were more prominent in green tea wine, while the response values of bitterness, astringency and aftertaste-A were lower. The order of aroma contribution can be seen as W1S > W5S > W2S > W2W > W1W > W3S > W6S. Kaisan white tea 2 gives green tea wine a clear tea aroma. This study provides better technical and theoretical strategies for the comprehensive quality assessment and control of fermented green tea wine quality.

Background Fusarium wilt, caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense race 4 (Foc4), is the most lethal disease of bananas in Asia. Methods To better understand the defense response of banana to Fusarium wilt, the transcriptome and metabolome profiles of the roots from resistant and susceptible bananas inoculated with Foc4 were compared. Results After Foc4 inoculation, there were 172 and 1,856 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the Foc4-susceptible variety (G1) and Foc4-resistant variety (G9), respectively. In addition, a total of 800 DEGs were identified between G1 and G9, which were mainly involved in the oxidation-reduction process, cell wall organization, phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, and lipid and nitrogen metabolism, especially the DEGs of Macma4_08_g22610, Macma4_11_g19760, and Macma4_03_g06480, encoding non-classical arabinogalactan protein; GDSL-like lipase; and peroxidase. In our study, G9 showed a stronger and earlier response to Foc4 than G1. As the results of metabolomics, lipids, phenylpropanoids and polyketides, organic acids, and derivatives played an important function in response to Fusarium wilt. More importantly, Macma4_11_g19760 might be one of the key genes that gave G9 more resistance to Foc4 by a lowered expression and negative regulation of lipid metabolism. This study illustrated the difference between the transcriptomic and metabolomic profiles of resistant and susceptible bananas. These results improved the current understanding of host-pathogen interactions and will contribute to the breeding of resistant banana plants.

Plastics’ unavoidable and rampant usage causes their trash to be extensively dispersed in the atmosphere and land due to its numerous characteristics. Because of extensive plastic usage and increased manufacturing, there is insufficient recycling and a large accumulation of microplastics (MPs) in the environment. In addition to their wide availability in the soil and atmosphere, micro- and nanoplastics are becoming contaminants worldwide. Agro-ecosystem functioning and plant development are being negatively impacted in several ways by the contamination of the environment and farmland soils with MPs (

Globally, due to widespread dispersion, intraspecific diversity, and crucial ecological components of halophilic ecosystems, halophilic bacteria is considered one of the key models for ecological, adaptative, and biotechnological applications research in saline environments. With this aim, the present study was to enlighten the plant growth-promoting features and investigate the systematic genome of a halophilic bacteria, Virgibacillus halodenitrificans ASH15, through single-molecule real-time (SMRT) sequencing technology. Results showed that strain ASH15 could survive in high salinity up to 25% (w/v) NaCl concentration and express plant growth-promoting traits such as nitrogen fixation, plant growth hormones, and hydrolytic enzymes, which sustain salt stress. The results of pot experiment revealed that strain ASH15 significantly enhanced sugarcane plant growth (root shoot length and weight) under salt stress conditions. Moreover, the sequencing analysis of the strain ASH15 genome exhibited that this strain contained a circular chromosome of 3,832,903 bp with an average G+C content of 37.54%: 3721 predicted protein-coding sequences (CDSs), 24 rRNA genes, and 62 tRNA genes. Genome analysis revealed that the genes related to the synthesis and transport of compatible solutes (glycine, betaine, ectoine, hydroxyectoine, and glutamate) confirm salt stress as well as heavy metal resistance. Furthermore, functional annotation showed that the strain ASH15 encodes genes for root colonization, biofilm formation, phytohormone IAA production, nitrogen fixation, phosphate metabolism, and siderophore production, which are beneficial for plant growth promotion. Strain ASH15 also has a gene resistance to antibiotics and pathogens. In addition, analysis also revealed that the genome strain ASH15 has insertion sequences and CRISPRs, which suggest its ability to acquire new genes through horizontal gene transfer and acquire immunity to the attack of viruses. This work provides knowledge of the mechanism through which V. halodenitrificans ASH15 tolerates salt stress. Deep genome analysis, identified MVA pathway involved in biosynthesis of isoprenoids, more precisely “Squalene.” Squalene has various applications, such as an antioxidant, anti-cancer agent, anti-aging agent, hemopreventive agent, anti-bacterial agent, adjuvant for vaccines and drug carriers, and detoxifier. Our findings indicated that strain ASH15 has enormous potential in industries such as in agriculture, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and food.

IntroductionDue to their bioactive compounds and beneficial health effects, functional foods and plant-based natural medicines are widely consumed. Due to its bioactivities, vinegar is one of them that helps humans. Sugarcane original vinegar (SOV) is a special vinegar made from sugarcane as a raw material through biological fermentation processes.MethodsThe objective of this study was to assess the effects of sugarcane original vinegar on growth performance, immune response, acute oral toxicity, bacterial reverse mutation, mammalian erythrocyte micronucleus, mouse spermatogonial chromosome aberration, mammalian bone marrow cell chromosome aberration changes, and serum characteristics in mice. Distortion parameters were used to assess its safety, and at the same time, the functionality of SOV was monitored during experimentation.ResultsThe results show that the SOV has no damage or inhibitory effect on the bone marrow red blood cells of mice and no mutagenic or distortion-inducing effects on the bone marrow cell chromosomes or spermatogonia chromosomes, so it is safe to eat. SOV can improve blood lipids and reduce blood lipid content.DiscussionThe study results provide data basis for the intensive processing of sugarcane and the development of high-value SOV products. Sugarcane original vinegar has a beneficial impact on performance, immune response, and chromosomal aberration. The production application influences the vinegar's quality and, consequently, its health benefits.

Sugarcane is an important sugar and energy crop worldwide, requiring a large amount of nitrogen (N). However, excessive application of synthetic N fertilizer causes environmental pollution in farmland. Endophytic nitrogen-fixing bacteria (ENFB) provide N nutrition for plants through biological N fixation, thus reducing the need for chemical fertilizers. The present study investigated the effect of the N-fixing endophytic strain Enterobacter roggenkampii ED5 on phytohormone indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), N-metabolism enzyme activities, microbial community compositions, and N cycle genes in sugarcane rhizosphere soil at different N levels. Three levels of 15N-urea, such as low N (0 kg/ha), medium N (150 kg/ha), and high N (300 kg/ha), were applied. The results showed that, after inoculating strain ED5, the IAA content in sugarcane leaves was significantly increased by 68.82% under low N condition at the seedling stage (60 days). The nitrate reductase (NR) activity showed a downward trend. However, the glutamine synthase (GS) and NADH-glutamate dehydrogenase (NADH-GDH) activities were significantly enhanced compared to the control under the high N condition, and the GS and NR genes had the highest expression at 180 and 120 days, respectively, at the low N level. The total N content in the roots, stems, and leaves of sugarcane was higher than the control. The 15N atom % excess of sugarcane decreased significantly under medium N condition, indicating that the medium N level was conducive to N fixation in strain ED5. Metagenome analysis of sugarcane rhizosphere soil exhibited that the abundance of N-metabolizing microbial richness was increased under low and high N conditions after inoculation of strain ED5 at the genus level, while it was increased at the phylum level only under the low N condition. The LefSe (LDA > 2, p < 0.05) found that the N-metabolism-related differential microorganisms under the high N condition were higher than those under medium and low N conditions. It was also shown that the abundance of nifDHK genes was significantly increased after inoculation of ED5 at the medium N level, and other N cycle genes had high abundance at the high N level after inoculation of strain ED5. The results of this study provided a scientific reference for N fertilization in actual sugarcane production.

Sugarcane is an important sugar and bioenergy source and a significant component of the economy in various countries in arid and semiarid. It requires more synthetic fertilizers and fungicides during growth and development. However, the excess use of synthetic fertilizers and fungicides causes environmental pollution and affects cane quality and productivity. Plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) indirectly or directly promote plant growth in various ways. In this study, 22 PGPB strains were isolated from the roots of the sugarcane variety GT42. After screening of plant growth-promoting (PGP) traits, it was found that the DJ06 strain had the most potent PGP activity, which was identified as Pseudomonas aeruginosa by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and green fluorescent protein (GFP) labeling technology confirmed that the DJ06 strain successfully colonized sugarcane tissues. The complete genome sequencing of the DJ06 strain was performed using Nanopore and Illumina sequencing platforms. The results showed that the DJ06 strain genome size was 64,90,034 bp with a G+C content of 66.34%, including 5,912 protein-coding genes (CDSs) and 12 rRNA genes. A series of genes related to plant growth promotion was observed, such as nitrogen fixation, ammonia assimilation, siderophore, 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC), deaminase, indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) production, auxin biosynthesis, phosphate metabolism, hydrolase, biocontrol, and tolerance to abiotic stresses. In addition, the effect of the DJ06 strain was also evaluated by inoculation in two sugarcane varieties GT11 and B8. The length of the plant was increased significantly by 32.43 and 12.66% and fresh weight by 89.87 and 135.71% in sugarcane GT11 and B8 at 60 days after inoculation. The photosynthetic leaf gas exchange also increased significantly compared with the control plants. The content of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) was enhanced and gibberellins (GA) and abscisic acid (ABA) were reduced in response to inoculation of the DJ06 strain as compared with control in two sugarcane varieties. The enzymatic activities of oxidative, nitrogen metabolism, and hydrolases were also changed dramatically in both sugarcane varieties with inoculation of the DJ06 strain. These findings provide better insights into the interactive action mechanisms of the P. aeruginosa DJ06 strain and sugarcane plant development.

Vinegar is one of the most widely used acidic condiments. Recently, rapid advances have been made in the area of vinegar research. Different types of traditional vinegar are available around the globe and have many applications. Vinegar can be made either naturally, through alcoholic and then acetic acid fermentation, or artificially, in laboratories. Vinegar is the product of acetic acid fermentation of dilute alcoholic solutions, manufactured by a two-step process. The first step is the production of ethanol from a carbohydrate source such as glucose, which is carried out by yeasts. The second step is the oxidation of ethanol to acetic acid, which is carried out by acetic acid bacteria. Acetic acid bacteria are not only producers of certain foods and drinks, such as vinegar, but they can also spoil other products such as wine, beer, soft drinks, and fruits. Various renewable substrates are used for the efficient biological production of acetic acid, including agro and food, dairy, and kitchen wastes. Numerous reports on the health advantages associated with vinegar ingredients have been presented. Fresh sugarcane juice was fermented with wine yeast and LB acetate bacteria to develop a high-quality original sugarcane vinegar beverage. To facilitate the current study, the bibliometric analysis method was adopted to visualize the knowledge map of vinegar research based on literature data. The present review article will help scientists discern the dynamic era of vinegar research and highlight areas for future research.

Diazotrophic plant growth-promoting endophytic (DPGPEB) bacterium plays an important role in plant growth and development. However, the molecular mechanism of the interaction between DPGPEB and sugarcane is still less known. In this study, we used the RNA sequencing technology to compare the transcriptome of two sugarcane varieties GT11and B8 inoculated with Enterobacter roggenkampii ED5. The results showed that a total of 1905 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were obtained in the ED5 inoculated plants as compared to the control for variety GT11, of which 812 were down-regulated and 1093 were up-regulated, respectively. Whereas, for variety B8, 6214 DEGs were detected in the ED5 inoculated plants as compared to the control, of which 1587 and 4627 of down-regulated and up-regulated, respectively. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses showed the DEGs were associated with starch and sucrose, nitrogen metabolism, biosynthesis of phenylpropanoid, phytohormone signal transduction, MAPK signaling pathway, secondary metabolic pathway, cell wall biogenesis, and photosynthesis. Additionally, the results of RNA-seq data were validated with qRT-PCR. In summary, these results provide valuable information about the transcriptomic changes of the two sugarcane varieties in response to E. roggenkampii ED5 for understanding the molecular mechanisms of sugarcane-bacteria interactions.

Agrochemicals are consistently used in agricultural practices to protect plants from pathogens and ensure high crop production. However, their overconsumption and irregular use cause adverse impacts on soil flora and non-target beneficial microorganisms, ultimately causing a hazard to the ecosystem. Taking this into account, the present study was conducted to determine the high dosage of fungicide (carbendazim: CBZM) effects on the rhizobacteria survival, plant growth promoting trait and reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging antioxidant enzyme system. Thus, a multifarious plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) isolate, ANCB-12, was obtained from the sugarcane rhizosphere through an enrichment technique. The taxonomic position of the isolated rhizobacteria was confirmed through 16S rRNA gene sequencing analysis as Priestia megaterium ANCB-12 (accession no. ON878101). Results showed that increasing concentrations of fungicide showed adverse effects on rhizobacterial cell growth and survival. In addition, cell visualization under a confocal laser scanning microscope (CLSM) revealed more oxidative stress damage in the form of ROS generation and cell membrane permeability. Furthermore, the increasing dose of CBZM gradually decreased the plant growth promoting activities of the rhizobacteria ANCB-12. For example, CBZM at a maximum 3,000 μg/ml concentration decreases the indole acetic acid (IAA) production by 91.6%, ACC deaminase by 92.3%, and siderophore production by 94.1%, respectively. Similarly, higher dose of fungicide enhanced the ROS toxicity by significantly (p < 0.05) modulating the stress-related antioxidant enzymatic biomarkers in P. megaterium ANCB-12. At a maximum 3,000 μg/ml CBZM concentration, the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) declined by 82.3%, catalase (CAT) by 61.4%, glutathione peroxidase (GPX) by 76.1%, and glutathione reductase (GR) by 84.8%, respectively. The results of this study showed that higher doses of the fungicide carbendazim are toxic to the cells of plant-beneficial rhizobacteria. This suggests that a recommended dose of fungicide should be made to lessen its harmful effects.

Insufficient availability of water is a major global challenge that plants face and that can cause substantial losses in plant productivity and quality, followed by complete crop failure. Thus, it becomes imperative to improve crop cultivation/production in unsuitable agricultural fields and integrate modern agri-techniques and nanoparticles (NPs)-based approaches to extend appropriate aid to plants to handle adverse environmental variables. Nowadays, NPs are commonly used with biological systems because of their specific physicochemical characteristics, viz., size/dimension, density, and surface properties. The foliar/soil application of nanosilicon (nSi) has been shown to have a positive impact on plants through the regulation of physiological and biochemical responses and the synthesis of specific metabolites. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are produced in plants in response to drought/water scarcity, which may enhance the ability for adaptation in plants/crops to withstand adverse surroundings. The functions of ROS influenced by nSi and water stress have been assessed widely. However, detailed information about their association with plants and stress is yet to be explored. Our review presents an update on recent developments regarding nSi and water stress in combination with ROS accumulation for sustainable agriculture and an eco-friendly environment.

Abiotic stresses cause extensive yield loss in various crops globally. Over the past few decades, the application of silicon nanoparticles (nSi) has emerged as an abiotic stress mitigator. The initial responses of plants are exemplified by the biogenesis of reactive oxygen species (ROS) to sustain cellular/organellar integrity, ensuring in vivo operation of metabolic functions by regulating physiological and biochemical pathways during stress conditions. Plants have evolved various antioxidative systems to balance/maintain the process of homeostasis via enzymatic and non-enzymatic activities that repair any losses. In an adverse environment, supplementation of Si mitigates the stress condition and improves the growth and development of plants. Its ameliorative effects are correlated with enhanced antioxidant enzymes activities, maintaining the equilibrium between ROS generation and reduction. However, a limited number of studies cover the role of nSi in abiotic stress conditions. This review addresses the accumulation and/or uptake of nSi in several crops, as well as its mode of action, which are linked with improved plant growth and tolerance capabilities, contributing to sustainable agriculture.

The interaction of silicon and soil microorganisms stimulates crop enhancement to ensure sustainable agriculture. Silicon may potentially increase nutrient availability in rhizosphere with improved plants’ growth, development as it does not produce phytotoxicity. The rhizospheric microbiome accommodates a variety of microbial species that live in a small area of soil directly associated with the hidden half plants’ system. Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) play a major role in plant development in response to adverse climatic conditions. PGPRs may enhance the growth, quality, productivity in variety of crops, and mitigate abiotic stresses by reprogramming stress-induced physiological variations in plants via different mechanisms, such as synthesis of indole-3-acetic acid, 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate deaminase, exopolysaccharides, volatile organic compounds, atmospheric nitrogen fixation, and phosphate solubilization. Our article eye upon interactions of silicon and plant microbes which seems to be an opportunity for sustainable agriculture for series of crops and cropping systems in years to come, essential to safeguard the food security for masses.

Biotic and abiotic stresses are the foremost limiting factors for crop productivity. Crop plants need to cope with adverse external pressure caused by various environmental conditions with their intrinsic biological mechanisms to keep their growth, development, and productivity. Climate-resilient, pest resistance and high-yielding crops need to be developed to maintain sustainable food supply. Over the last decade, understanding of the genetic complexity of agronomic traits in sugarcane has prompted the integrated application of genetic engineering to address specific biological questions. Genes for adaptation to environmental stress, resistance to pest and yield enhancement traits are being determined and introgressed to develop elite sugarcane cultivars with improved characteristics through genetic engineering approaches. Here, we discuss the advancement to provide a reference for future sugarcane (Saccharum spp.) genetic engineering.

Drought is the abiotic factor that adversely affects plant growth, development survival, and crop productivity, posing a substantial threat to sustainable agriculture worldwide, especially in warm and dry areas. However, the extent of damage depends upon the crop growth stage, severity and frequency of the stress. In general, the reproductive growth phase is more sensitive to stresses causing a substantial loss in crop productivity. Saccharum spontaneum (L.) is the most variable wild relative of sugarcane with potential for use in sugarcane crop improvement programs. In the present study addresses the transcriptomic analysis of drought stress imposed by polyethylene glycol-6000 (PED-6000; w/v- 25%) on the root tip tissues of S. spontaneum GX83-10. The analysis of microarrays of drought-stressed roots was performed at 0 (CK), 2 (T2), 4 (T4), 8 (T8) and 24 h (T24). The analyzed data were compared with the gene function annotations of four major databases, such as Nr, KOG/COG, Swiss-Prot, and KEGG, and a total of 62,988 single-gene information was obtained. The differently expressed genes of 56237 (T4), 59319 (T8), and 58583 (T24), among which CK obtained the most significant number of expressed genes (35920) as compared to T24, with a total of 53683 trend genes. Gene ontology (GO) and KEGG analysis were performed on the 6 important trends, and a total of 598 significant GO IDs and 42 significantly enriched metabolic pathways. Furthermore, these findings also aid in the selection of novel genes and promoters that can be used to potentially produce crop plants with enhanced stress resistance efficiency for sustainable agriculture.

Abstract In the era of climate change, due to increased incidences of a wide range of various environmental stresses, especially biotic and abiotic stresses around the globe, the performance of plants can be affected by these stresses. After oxygen, silicon (Si) is the second most abundant element in the earth’s crust. It is not considered as an important element, but can be thought of as a multi-beneficial quasi-essential element for plants. This review on silicon presents an overview of the versatile role of this element in a variety of plants. Plants absorb silicon through roots from the rhizospheric soil in the form of silicic or monosilicic acid. Silicon plays a key metabolic function in living organisms due to its relative abundance in the atmosphere. Plants with higher content of silicon in shoot or root are very few prone to attack by pests, and exhibit increased stress resistance. However, the more remarkable impact of silicon is the decrease in the number of seed intensities/soil-borne and foliar diseases of major plant varieties that are infected by biotrophic, hemi-biotrophic and necrotrophic pathogens. The amelioration in disease symptoms are due to the effect of silicon on a some factors involved in providing host resistance namely, duration of incubation, size, shape and number of lesions. The formation of a mechanical barrier beneath the cuticle and in the cell walls by the polymerization of silicon was first proposed as to how this element decreases plant disease severity. The current understanding of how this element enhances resistance in plants subjected to biotic stress, the exact functions and mechanisms by which it modulates plant biology by potentiating the host defence mechanism needs to be studied using genomics, metabolomics and proteomics. The role of silicon in helping the plants in adaption to biotic stress has been discussed which will help to plan in a systematic way the development of more sustainable agriculture for food security and safety in the future.

Melatonin, a hormone known for its role in regulating sleep–wake cycles in mammals, has been found to have diverse functions in horticultural plants. In recent years, research has revealed the involvement of melatonin in various physiological processes in plants, like regulation of growth and development, stress tolerance, and antioxidant defense. Melatonin can augment seed germination, roots, shoot growth, and biomass accumulation in horticultural crops. It also performs a vital role in regulating vegetative and reproductive growth stages, floral transition, and leaf senescence. Melatonin improves stress tolerance in crops by regulating root architecture, nutrient uptake, and ion transport. Additionally, melatonin works like a broad-spectrum antioxidant by scavenging reactive oxygen species and enhancing antioxidant activity. The mechanism of action of melatonin in horticultural plants involves gene expressions, hormone signaling pathways, and antioxidant defense pathways. Melatonin also interacts with other plant growth regulators (PGRs), comprising auxins, cytokinins, and abscisic acid to coordinate various physiological processes in plants. Melatonin has evolved as a versatile chemical entity with diverse functions in horticultural plants, and its potential applications in crop production and stress management are increasingly being explored. This review aims to provide a comprehensive insight into the present state of knowledge about melatonin and its role in horticulturally important plants and identify avenues for further research and practical applications. Further study must be conducted to fully elucidate the mechanisms of melatonin action in crops and to outline effective strategies for its practical use in horticultural practices.

Abstract Background Water stress is one of the serious abiotic stresses that negatively influences the growth, development and production of sugarcane in arid and semi-arid regions. However, silicon (Si) has been applied as an alleviation strategy subjected to environmental stresses. Methods In this experiment, Si was applied as soil irrigation in sugarcane plants to understand the mitigation effect of Si against harmful impact of water stress on photosynthetic leaf gas exchange. Results In the present study we primarily revealed the consequences of low soil moisture content, which affect overall plant performance of sugarcane significantly. Silicon application reduced the adverse effects of water stress by improving the net photosynthetic assimilation rate (A net) 1.35–18.75%, stomatal conductance to water vapour (gs) 3.26–21.57% and rate of transpiration (E) 1.16–17.83%. The mathematical models developed from the proposed hypothesis explained the functional relationships between photosynthetic responses of Si application and water stress mitigation. Conclusions Silicon application showed high ameliorative effects on photosynthetic responses of sugarcane to water stress and could be used for mitigating environmental stresses in other crops, too, in future.

Nitrogen is crucial for sugarcane crop to get economical sugar and biofuel throughout the world, and low nitrogen use efficiency is the main issue of sugarcane because of high nitrogen losses. In this experiment, physio-morphological, growth, and biochemical traits were observed for sugarcane genotypes (nitrogen inefficient-GT11 and efficient GXASF180-1-11) under 0.05 and 5 mMN levels at 5, 7, and 9 leaf stages. GXASF180-1-11 attained 46–58% and 16–23% more plant height and biomass than GT11, while photosynthesis and internal nitrogen use efficiency (iNUE) were 16 and 8% more at F2 fertilizer level, respectively. Highest key enzymes activity was showed in leaf whereas polynomial regression ranged between 0.53 and 0.98, 0.69 and 0.99 for iNUE and nitrogen use index. Principal component analysis explained 91.23–93.53% total variance across the stages. These results suggested that low nitrogen application rate with efficient germplasm may have the potential to improve iNUE for further cultivar development.

Smut, the most important sugarcane fungal disease in China, is caused by Sporisorium scitamineum. Smut infection causes severe cane and sugar yield loss. Whole-plant resistance response is characterized by the expression of a large number of pathogenesis-related proteins and genes. Here, proteomic analysis by isobaric tag for relative and absolute quantification was conducted to identify differentially expressed proteins of two sugarcane varieties with contrasting resistance to smut, i.e. Yacheng71-374 (smut-susceptible) and GT29 (smut-resistant) following S. scitamineum infection. A total of 125 and 290 proteins were found differentially expressed after whip appearance in Yacheng71-374 and GT29 sugarcane varieties. Increased up-regulation of peroxidase and catalase and proteins involved in photosynthesis, calcium signaling, abscisic acid biosynthesis, and protein metabolism, were observed in GT29 as compared to Yacheng71-374, suggesting their potential involvement in smut defense mechanism(s) in sugarcane. The expression level of five important defense-related enzymes i.e. chitinase, glucanase, catalase, superoxide dismutase, and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase was analyzed by RT-qPCR. The expression of these enzymes was found enhanced considerably in GT29 as compared to Yacheng71-374 for up to six months following pathogen infection. These results provide new molecular insights into long-term responses of sugarcane to smut infection, a much over-looked aspect of sugarcane smut disease.

Abstract Nitrogen is the main limiting nutrient after carbon, hydrogen and oxygen for photosynthetic process, phyto-hormonal, proteomic changes and growth-development of plants to complete its lifecycle. Excessive and inefficient use of N fertilizer results in enhanced crop production costs and atmospheric pollution. Atmospheric nitrogen (71%) in the molecular form is not available for the plants. For world’s sustainable food production and atmospheric benefits, there is an urgent need to up-grade nitrogen use efficiency in agricultural farming system. The nitrogen use efficiency is the product of nitrogen uptake efficiency and nitrogen utilization efficiency, it varies from 30.2 to 53.2%. Nitrogen losses are too high, due to excess amount, low plant population, poor application methods etc., which can go up to 70% of total available nitrogen. These losses can be minimized up to 15–30% by adopting improved agronomic approaches such as optimal dosage of nitrogen, application of N by using canopy sensors, maintaining plant population, drip fertigation and legume based intercropping. A few transgenic studies have shown improvement in nitrogen uptake and even increase in biomass. Nitrate reductase, nitrite reductase, glutamine synthetase, glutamine oxoglutarate aminotransferase and asparagine synthetase enzyme have a great role in nitrogen metabolism. However, further studies on carbon–nitrogen metabolism and molecular changes at omic levels are required by using “whole genome sequencing technology” to improve nitrogen use efficiency. This review focus on nitrogen use efficiency that is the major concern of modern days to save economic resources without sacrificing farm yield as well as safety of global environment, i.e. greenhouse gas emissions, ammonium volatilization and nitrate leaching.

Abstract Background Nitrogen is an essential element for sugarcane growth and development and is generally applied in the form of urea often much more than at recommended rates, causing serious soil degradation, particularly soil acidification, as well as groundwater and air pollution. In spite of the importance of nitrogen for plant growth, fewer reports are available to understand the application and biological role of N2 fixing bacteria to improve N2 nutrition in the sugarcane plant. Results In this study, a total of 350 different bacterial strains were isolated from rhizospheric soil samples of the sugarcane plants. Out of these, 22 isolates were selected based on plant growth promotion traits, biocontrol, and nitrogenase activity. The presence and activity of the nifH gene and the ability of nitrogen-fixation proved that all 22 selected strains have the ability to fix nitrogen. These strains were used to perform 16S rRNA and rpoB genes for their identification. The resulted amplicons were sequenced and phylogenetic analysis was constructed. Among the screened strains for nitrogen fixation, CY5 (Bacillus megaterium) and CA1 (Bacillus mycoides) were the most prominent. These two strains were examined for functional diversity using Biolog phenotyping, which confirmed the consumption of diverse carbon and nitrogen sources and tolerance to low pH and osmotic stress. The inoculated bacterial strains colonized the sugarcane rhizosphere successfully and were mostly located in root and leaf. The expression of the nifH gene in both sugarcane varieties (GT11 and GXB9) inoculated with CY5 and CA1 was confirmed. The gene expression studies showed enhanced expression of genes of various enzymes such as catalase, phenylalanine-ammonia-lyase, superoxide dismutase, chitinase and glucanase in bacterial-inoculated sugarcane plants. Conclusion The results showed that a substantial number of Bacillus isolates have N-fixation and biocontrol property against two sugarcane pathogens Sporisorium scitamineum and Ceratocystis paradoxa. The increased activity of genes controlling free radical metabolism may at least in part accounts for the increased tolerance to pathogens. Nitrogen-fixation was confirmed in sugarcane inoculated with B. megaterium and B. mycoides strains using N-balance and 15N2 isotope dilution in different plant parts of sugarcane. This is the first report of Bacillus mycoides as a nitrogen-fixing rhizobacterium in sugarcane.

Conventional fertilizers and pesticides are not sustainable for multiple reasons, including high delivery and usage inefficiency, considerable energy, and water inputs with adverse impact on the agroecosystem. Achieving and maintaining optimal food security is a global task that initiates agricultural approaches to be revolutionized effectively on time, as adversities in climate change, population growth, and loss of arable land may increase. Recent approaches based on nanotechnology may improve in vivo nutrient delivery to ensure the distribution of nutrients precisely, as nanoengineered particles may improve crop growth and productivity. The underlying mechanistic processes are yet to be unlayered because in coming years, the major task may be to develop novel and efficient nutrient uses in agriculture with nutrient use efficiency (NUE) to acquire optimal crop yield with ecological biodiversity, sustainable agricultural production, and agricultural socio-economy. This study highlights the potential of nanofertilizers in agricultural crops for improved plant performance productivity in case subjected to abiotic stress conditions.

Asparagus [Asparagus cochinchinensis (Lour.) Merr.] is a traditional herbal medicine plant commonly used to nourish yin, moisten dryness, and clear fire cough symptoms. Drying is an excellent option to conserve food materials, i.e., grains, fruits, vegetables, and herbs, reducing the raw materials volume and weight. This study aims to evaluate different drying approaches that could increase the value of asparagus, particularly as an ingredient in fast foods or as nutraceutical byproducts. The volatile components of asparagus roots were analyzed by using headspace-gas chromatography-ion mobility spectroscopy under different drying conditions, i.e., natural drying (ND) at ambient air temperature in the dark, well-ventilated room, temperature range 28–32°C, blast or oven drying at 50°C, heat pump or hot-air drying at temperature 50°C and air velocity at 1.5 ms–1 and vacuum freeze-drying at the temperature of −45°C and vacuum pressure of 10–30 Pa for 24 h. The findings revealed that the various drying processes had multiple effects on the color, odor index, and volatile compounds of the asparagus roots. As a result of the investigations, multiple characteristics of components, therefore, exploitation and comparison of various flavors; a total of 22 compounds were identified, such as alcohols, ketones, aldehydes, acids, esters, heterocyclic, and terpene. The present findings may help understand the flavor of the processed asparagus roots and find a better option for drying and processing.

Sugarcane is a cash crop that plays an integral part in the sugar industry. The Sustainable Sugarcane Initiative (SSI) has been adopted globally, ensuring enough and aiming for more yield, helping increase disease-free sugarcane cultivation. Single-bud seeds could be the best approach for sugarcane cultivation. Indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) is a rooting agent utilized significantly in seedling propagation. Greenhouse experiment results discovered the significant growth promotion in sugarcane seedlings and accumulation of plant hormones at 100 ppm IBA. Next, we performed transcriptomic analysis of sugarcane buds using RNA sequencing and compared their gene expression during root development due to affect of IBA (100 ppm). A total of 113,475 unigenes were annotated with an average length of 836 bp (N50 = 1,536). The comparative RNA-seq study between the control (CK) and IBA-treated (T) buds showed significant differentially expressed unigenes (494 upregulated and 2086 downregulated). The IBA influenced major biological processes including metabolic process, the cellular process, and single-organism process. For cellular component category, cell, cell part, organelle, membrane, and organelle part were mainly affected. In addition, catalytic activity and binding were primarily affected in the molecular function categories. Furthermore, the expression of genes related to plant hormones and signaling pathways was analyzed by qRT-PCR, which was consistent with the RNA-seq expression profile. This study provides new insights into the IBA response to the bud sprouting in sugarcane based on RNA sequencing, and generated information could help further research on breeding improvement of sugarcane.

Considering the significant role of genetic background in plant-microbe interactions and that most crop rhizospheric microbial research was focused on cultivars, understanding the diversity of root-associated microbiomes in wild progenitors and closely related crossable species may help to breed better cultivars. This study is aimed to fill a critical knowledge gap on rhizosphere and diazotroph bacterial diversity in the wild progenitors of sugarcane, the essential sugar and the second largest bioenergy crop globally. Using a high-throughput sequencing (HTS) platform, we studied the rhizosphere and diazotroph bacterial community of Saccharum officinarum L. cv. Badila (BRS), Saccharum barberi (S. barberi) Jesw. cv Pansahi (PRS), Saccharum robustum [S. robustum; (RRS), Saccharum spontaneum (S. spontaneum); SRS], and Saccharum sinense (S. sinense) Roxb. cv Uba (URS) by sequencing their 16S rRNA and nifH genes. HTS results revealed that a total of 6,202 bacteria-specific operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were identified, that were distributed as 107 bacterial groups. Out of that, 31 rhizobacterial families are commonly spread in all five species. With respect to nifH gene, S. barberi and S. spontaneum recorded the highest and lowest number of OTUs, respectively. These results were validated by quantitative PCR analysis of both genes. A total of 1,099 OTUs were identified for diazotrophs with a core microbiome of 9 families distributed among all the sugarcane species. The core microbiomes were spread across 20 genera. The increased microbial diversity in the rhizosphere was mainly due to soil physiochemical properties. Most of the genera of rhizobacteria and diazotrophs showed a positive correlation, and few genera negatively correlated with the soil properties. The results showed that sizeable rhizospheric diversity exists across progenitors and close relatives. Still, incidentally, the rhizosphere microbial abundance of progenitors of modern sugarcane was at the lower end of the spectrum, indicating the prospect of Saccharum species introgression breeding may further improve nutrient use and disease and stress tolerance of commercial sugarcane. The considerable variation for rhizosphere microbiome seen in Saccharum species also provides a knowledge base and an experimental system for studying the evolution of rhizobacteria-host plant association during crop domestication.

Excessive, long-term application of chemical fertilizers in sugarcane crops disrupts soil microbial flora and causes environmental pollution and yield decline. The role of endophytic bacteria in improving crop production is now well-documented. In this study, we have isolated and identified several endophytic bacterial strains from the root tissues of five sugarcane species. Among them, eleven Gram-negative isolates were selected and screened for plant growth-promoting characteristics, i.e., production of siderophores, indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), ammonia, hydrogen cyanide (HCN), and hydrolytic enzymes, phosphorus solubilization, antifungal activity against plant pathogens, nitrogen-fixation, 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid deaminase activity, and improving tolerance to different abiotic stresses. These isolates had nifH (11 isolates), acdS (8 isolates), and HCN (11 isolates) genes involved in N-fixation, stress tolerance, and pathogen biocontrol, respectively. Two isolates Pantoea cypripedii AF1and Kosakonia arachidis EF1 were the most potent strains and they colonized and grew in sugarcane plants. Both strains readily colonized the leading Chinese sugarcane variety GT42 and significantly increased the activity of nitrogen assimilation enzymes (glutamine synthetase, NADH glutamate dehydrogenase, and nitrate reductase), chitinase, and endo-glucanase and the content of phytohormones gibberellic acid, indole-3-acetic acid, and abscisic acid. The gene expression analysis of GT42 inoculated with isolates of P. cypripedii AF1 or K. arachidis EF1 showed increased activity of nifH and nitrogen assimilation genes. Also, the inoculated diazotrophs significantly increased plant nitrogen content, which was corroborated by the 15N isotope dilution analysis. Collectively, these findings suggest that P. cypripedii and K. arachidis are beneficial endophytes that could be used as a biofertilizer to improve plant nitrogen nutrition and growth of sugarcane. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of sugarcane growth enhancement and nitrogen fixation by Gram-negative sugarcane root-associated endophytic bacteria P. cypripedii and K. arachidis. These strains have the potential to be utilized as sugarcane biofertilizers, thus reducing nitrogen fertilizer use and improving disease management.

Climate change, inadequate possessions, and land degradation all pose obstacles to modern agriculture. In the current scenario, the agriculture industry is mainly dependent on the use of chemical-based pesticides and fertilizers that impact soil health and crop productivity. Moreover, water scarcity leads farmers in drastically affected regions to use heavy metal-enriched water sources mainly originating from industrial sources for field crops irrigation. Soil pollutants can be carried into the human body via dust and water, creating negative health effects varying from simple symptoms, e.g., nausea and diarrhea and reaching death in critical cases. Thus, to clean soil contaminants, and improve soil fertility and agricultural production, alternatives to chemical fertilizers must be developed. Therefore, using beneficial microbes found in plant-associated soil microorganisms offers an effective strategy to alleviate some of these challenges, improving soil fertility, and crop yield, and protecting plants from stress conditions. Through the use of synergistic interactions, the synthetic consortium strategy seeks to improve the stability of microbial communities. In this review, synthetic consortia and their potential use in agriculture were discussed. Further, engineering new effective synthetic consortia was suggested as an effective approach in the concept of environmental bioremediation of soil pollutants and contaminants.

Global issues such as soil deterioration, pollution, and soil productivity loss induced by industrialization and intensive agriculture pose a serious danger to agricultural production and sustainability. Numerous technical breakthroughs have been applied to clean up soil or boost the output of damaged soils, but they have failed to restore or improve soil health to desired levels owing to expense, impossibility in a practical setting, or, to a lesser extent, high labor consumption. Recent nanotechnology advancements promise to improve soil quality indicators and crop yields while ensuring environmental sustainability. As previously discovered, the inclusion of nanomaterials (NMs) in soils could manipulate rhizospheric microbes or agriculturally important microbes and improve their functionality, facilitating the availability of nutrients to plants and improving root systems and crop growth in general, opening a new window for soil health improvement. A viewpoint on the difficulties and long-term outcomes of applying NMs to soils is provided, along with detailed statistics on how nanotechnology can improve soil health and crop productivity. Thus, evaluating nanotechnology may be valuable in gaining insights into the practical use of NMs for soil health enhancement.

The deposition of salts in soil seems likely to become a significant barrier for plant development and growth. Halophytes that flourish in naturally saline habitats may sustain extreme salt levels by adopting different acclimatory traits. Insight into such acclimatory features can be useful for devising salt-resilient crops and the reclamation of saline soil. Therefore, salinity-induced responses were studied in two halophytes, i.e., Suaeda nudiflora and Suaeda fruticosa, at a high soil salinity level (ECe 65) to explore their possible tolerance mechanisms in their natural habitat. Samples of different tissues were collected from both Suaeda species for the determination of physio-biochemical attributes, i.e., ionic (Na+, K+, Ca2+, Cl−) content, osmo-protective compounds (proline, soluble sugars, soluble proteins), total phenolic content, and antioxidant components. Heavy metal composition and accumulation in soil and plant samples were also assessed, respectively. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis was conducted to explore cellular metabolite pools with respect to high salinity. The results showed that both species considerably adjusted the above-mentioned physio-biochemical attributes to resist high salinity, demonstrated by quantitative differences in their above-ground tissues. The FTIR profiles confirmed the plants’ differential responses in terms of variability in lipids, proteins, carbohydrates, and cell wall constituents. The high capacity for Na+ and Cl− accumulation and considerable bioaccumulation factor (BAF) values for metals, mainly Fe and Zn, validate the importance of both Suaeda species as phytodesalination plants and their potential use in the phytoremediation of salt- and metal-polluted soils.