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Working out the complexity of interaction between microbes and plants is one of
the most complex scientific challenges. Under the present scenario, microbes will
probably assume an increasingly prominent role as we look forward to new responsible
technologies, if biotechnology is to evolve and provide inputs for both economic
and environmental sustainability. The work being conducted is aimed at enhancing
yield of economic crops by using native plant growth promoting rhizobacteria and
developing stress tolerant transgenic bacteria and plants. Colonization of the plant
root system is very important in nearly all interactions between plants and soil
borne microbes. Selection and improvement of rhizosphere competent bacteria to encourage
preferential colonization of desired bacteria can, therefore, be expected to modify
plant health. Techniques of genetic engineering have been applied to encourage preferential
colonization of the desired bacteria by engineering the plant environment specifically
the rhizosphere to confer a superior ability to utilize a novel substrate, occurring
in the “root” environment Noteworthy contributions are in the area of microbial
biotechnology and relate to elucidation of relationships between microbial populations
and environmental stresses, working out the intricacies of relationship between
microbes and plants and utilizing the knowledgebase thus developed for enhancing
the yield of economic crops through transfer of commercially exploitable technologies.
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