Screening Salt-Tolerant Bioinoculants from Hypersaline Habitats for Mitigation of Salinity Stress in Soybean

Abstract The research paper investigates the potential of salt-tolerant bioinoculants derived from hypersaline habitats to mitigate salinity stress in soybean cultivation. The study emphasizes the significance of saline soils affecting a substantial portion of arable land worldwide, with soybean being particularly sensitive to salinity. It explores the isolation, screening, and characterization of halotolerant microorganisms, especially plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) like Pseudomonas and Bacillus species, from hypersaline environments. These microbes enhance soybean tolerance to salinity by mechanisms such as aiding ion homeostasis, producing growth-promoting hormones, stimulating antioxidant activities, and regulating salt tolerance genes. The paper also discusses formulation strategies for delivering these bioinoculants effectively in agricultural settings, including greenhouse and field trials, demonstrating improved soybean growth and yield under saline conditions. Overall, it highlights the eco-friendly potential of using halotolerant microbes as sustainable solutions to salinity challenges in soybean production and emphasizes the need for further research to optimize their application.