The Indian Institute of Technology Bombay researchers have made advances in soil pollution and agriculture improvement through beneficial soil-associated bacteria. Their recent study published in journal Environmental Technology & Innovation discusses how certain bacterial species actually help in removing toxic organic pollutants from soil while promoting plant growth and soil fertility.
The soil contamination from aromatic compounds such as pesticides and industrial by-products has turned out to be a critical issue in agriculture. These pollutants come from substances like carbaryl and halphenes, which decelerate seed germination and crop yields, and they are found accumulated in the biomass of plants. Most common methods for cleaning soil from such compounds are chemical treatment or removal, but the problems with these methods are the high costs involved and relative uselessness.
IIT Bombay was very good at overcoming this issue by isolating polluted environment bacteria concentrating on strains from the genera Pseudomonas and Acinetobacter. These bacteria are the best at breaking down these aromatic compounds into harmless substances, thus serving as a natural cleaner for soils. “These bacteria feed on these pollutants and convert them into non-toxic compounds and clean up environments from contamination,” explains Prof. Prashant Phale, Head of Department, Biosciences, and Bioengineering who supervised the work of his student PhD, Sandesh Papade.
Besides detoxifying the environment, they would also give other services to the plant. These would include converting portions of insoluble nutrients such as phos-phorus and potassium into soluble forms, which would thus be made available directly to the plants. It produces siderophores, compounds that help in iron absorption from nutrient-limited conditions, and it secretes indoleacetic acid (IAA), a plant hormone that helps in the regulation of plant growth and development.
Researchers From The Indian Institute Of Technology Bombay (IIT Bombay) Have Celebrated Glorious Days For Now Tackling Soil Pollution And Improving Their Agricultural Productivity With Beneficial Bacteria. Their Recent Study Published in the Journal Environmental Technology & Innovation has Elaborated on Specific Bacterial Species Contributing to Severely Toxic Organic Pollutant Removal in Soil with Opposed Growth and Soil Fertility Improvement for Plants.
Sector soil contamination from aromatics, such as pesticides and industrial by-products-ever-present heating issues in agriculture. The toxins, like carbaryl, naphthalene, and other phthalates, inhibit seed germination and yield from crops and persist in plant biomass. Conventional approaches, such as chemical treatment or taking away the soil, always fall unsatisfactory because they are high-priced and often ineffective.
Discovered bacteria from polluted environments and focused on strains from the Pseudomonas and Acinetobacter genera. These bacteria excellent in breaking aromatic compounds into harmless forms and therefore act as natural cleaners of soil-“These bacteria feed on those pollutants and convert them into non-toxic compounds [in turn] clean contaminated environments,” explained Professor Prashant Phale, head of the Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering who supervised research done by PhD student Sandesh Papade.
Besides soil contamination, fungi pose a threat to global agriculture in the form of annual crop loss between 10 and 23% despite fungicides and disease-resistant cultivars. And this is what the team in IIT Bombay discovered that their bacterial cocktail produces lytic enzymes and hydrogen cyanide or HCN that act in inhibiting and killing pathogenic fungi. “These bacteria act as a natural defense system for plants, providing ecology-friendly alternatives to chemical pesticides,” says Prof. Phale.
When used as a mixture, Pseudomonas and Acinetobacter strains demonstrated remarkable synergy. They boosted crop yields for plants like wheat, spinach, and fenugreek by 45–50%. “Some strains are better at breaking down pollutants, while others excel at promoting growth or disease resistance. Combining them creates a cooperative system that achieves multiple goals efficiently,” Prof. Phale explains.
Beyond soil contamination, fungal diseases are a significant threat to global agriculture, causing 10–23% annual crop losses despite fungicides and disease-resistant cultivars. The IIT Bombay team found that their bacterial cocktail produces lytic enzymes and hydrogen cyanide (HCN), substances that inhibit or kill pathogenic fungi. “These bacteria act as a natural defense system for plants, offering an eco-friendly alternative to chemical pesticides,” notes Prof. Phale.
While the research holds immense promise, Prof. Phale emphasizes the need for further development before widespread adoption. The technology must be scaled up, tested across diverse environments, and transformed into accessible commercial products. Future research will focus on how these bacteria support plants under stress conditions like drought. The team also plans to develop bio-formulations, combining bacteria with natural materials to create easy-to-use, long-lasting solutions for farmers.
This innovative approach could revolutionize agriculture by addressing soil pollution, enhancing crop yields, and reducing reliance on harmful chemicals, paving the way for sustainable farming practices.
(Source: IIT Bombay)