Biotechnology and Genomics Exploration of Halotolerant Microbes: Application for Improving the Fertility of Saline Soil

Soil is the essence of the Earth and is one of the ultimate natural resources which is of high importance for the livelihood of the ecosystem. Agricultural soil has been exploited and is facing diverse stress because of several anthropogenic activities and climate change. Due to an upsurge in the population and depletion of environmental soil quality, there is a rapid increase in food demands on the earth. Elevation in soil salinity is a threatening situation for crop productivity, but there is no alternative to using saline soil to satisfy the demand in the near future. Therefore, to overcome such an alarming state, a sustainable environmental solution to degrade the stress in the soil is of utmost essential. Application of ‘omics’ studies and potential metabolites of rhizosphere bacteria have provided the superlative solution to get rid of the salt stress primary issue. Extremophilic microorganisms, such as halotolerant, halophilic rhizo-microbes and endophytic bacteria, have drawn the attention of investigators to ameliorate the deleterious salt effects. Keeping this opinion, this chapter has highlighted the application and importance of biotechnological tools and techniques which resolve the issue of crop yield in saline soil. Further, briefly discussed deciphering the mechanistic approaches of plant-growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) by forming biofilms, creating extracellular polymeric compounds (EPS), and volatile organic compounds (VOC) in improving the salt-stressed soil for critically enhancing the soil quality and plant development. Moreover, this chapter briefly emphasizes diversity, the morphology of PGPR and the interaction of plant–soil–bacteria. Additionally, how the genomics approach of PGPR reduces soil stress to overcome soil infertility is analyzed. Finally, this chapter focuses on the prospects and challenges faced in managing salt stress.