Research Projects

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is one of the major staple food crop for more than half of the world’s population. The production of rice is proportional to nitrogen use in the form of chemical fertilizer, which is unfavorable from ecological and economic perspectives (Saini et al. 2023). Biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) via. PGPBs offer a sustainable alternative, potentially reducing reliance on chemical nitrogen fertilizers for improving rice productivity. Diazotrophs are also called plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPBs) that supplement biological nitrogen directly (endophytes), promote phytohormone synthesis, and nutrient uptake and alleviate abiotic and biotic stress tolerance (Singh et al. 2017; Bandeppa et al. 2023). Several earlier studies have demonstrated the colonization of rice by nitrogen-fixing PGPBs not much more is known about molecular mechanisms underlying the biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) and colonization interactions like leguminous crops (Saini et al. 2023). The research project aims to isolate, characterize, identify and utilize the promising nitrogen-fixing plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPBs) (viz. rhizospheric and endophytic) to enhance nitrogen use efficiency and promote plant growth activities. This project focuses on isolating nitrogen-fixing PGPBs from diverse rice ecosystems, evaluating their effect on rice growth, and understanding rice-PGPBs compatible interactions (via. morpho-physiological, biochemical, and molecular studies) for biological nitrogen fixation, plant growth promotion and enhanced rice production. The proposed research reveals the early response genes and pathways in both rice and two diazotrophs (viz. rhizospheric and endophytic) inoculation through transcriptome profiling (RNA-Seq) and gives insights into the morpho-physiological, biochemical and anatomical changes modulation occurring in rice during the interactions. These insights provide a potential strategy for unrevealing the link between symbiotic nitrogen-fixing legumes and non-leguminous rice crops, as well as for developing a sustainable approach to achieve biological nitrogen fixation and enhance nitrogen availability for rice production. This project has the significant long-term potential to reduce the environmental impact of rice cultivation by minimizing chemical fertilizer use and promoting more sustainable farming practices by developing the diazotrophs formulation. Harnessing the nitrogen-fixing capabilities of diazotrophs by developing effective nitrogen supplements benefits nitrogen biofertilizers for the rice farming community.