Identifying Novel Sustainable Agriculture Practices through Harnessing Microbial Potential.
Agriculture faces a critical challenge: feeding a global population expected to exceed 10 billion by 2050 while reducing environmental impacts. Climate change compounds this pressure, bringing increased soil salinity, thermal stress, unpredictable weather, and greater disease pressure to crops.
There is growing recognition that microorganisms in agricultural soils may hold untapped potential for more sustainable approaches. A recent perspective article published in Microbiology Australia by Hub member Dr Zahra Islam explores two promising frontiers and research opportunities: harnessing hydrogen-cycling microorganisms for its potential plant nutrient cycling processes and microbially-derived volatile organic compounds (mVOC) as innovative abiotic plant growth biostimulants (substances that can enhance plant growth and stress tolerance).
Research Potential 1: The Potential of Hydrogen-Cycling Bacteria
Legumes (plants like soybeans, chickpeas, and clover) produce large amounts of hydrogen during nitrogen fixation (the process where bacteria convert atmospheric nitrogen into plant-usable forms), yet surprisingly little escapes to the atmosphere, suggesting that soil microorganisms can effectively and rapidly consume excess hydrogen.
This points to a potential “hydrogen priming effect” where hydrogen feeds beneficial microorganisms in the rhizosphere (the soil zone directly surrounding plant roots), potentially benefiting crop growth in previously unrecognised ways. However, our understanding of which bacterial species are involved and what benefits they provide remains incomplete. Since hydrogen has a global warming potential of 11 (meaning it traps 11 times more heat than carbon dioxide over a 100-year period), these bacteria -and the increased understanding of them – could offer dual benefits: consuming a climate warming gas while promoting plant growth.
Research Potential 2: Volatile Compounds as Promising Next-Generation Plant Growth Promoting Microbes
Traditional microbial biofertilisers (products containing live beneficial bacteria or fungi) often fail long-term because introduced microorganisms are outcompeted by resident soil microbes. Microbially-derived volatile organic compounds (mVOCs) offer a solution: these gaseous molecules produced by microorganisms influence plant growth without requiring the microbes themselves to persist in soil.
Future research has the opportunity to identify beneficial mVOCs and synthesise them for field application, bypassing microbial competition and restraints. Trials have shown mVOCs increase shoot and root biomass in broadleaf crops (e.g. soybeans and canola), though research on grasses (e.g. wheat, rice, and maize) remains limited and require further research. The main challenge currently the delivery of these compounds as they evaporate easily and require encapsulation (protective coating) for prolonged effectiveness.
This Matters
As extreme weather events become more frequent under our changing climate, biotechnological innovation in agriculture becomes increasingly urgent. As we work toward feeding a growing global population on limited arable land, these innovative approaches to harnessing soil microbial communities could play a crucial role in developing more resilient, productive, and environmentally sustainable agricultural systems.
Read the full article here: https://connectsci.au/ma/article/46/4/210/252113/Manipulating-microbial-metabolic-flexibility-for
