Halobacteria-Based Biofertilizers in Saline Agroecosystems: Mechanisms of Osmoadaptation, Plant Stress Alleviation and Sustainable Crop Productivity

Oil salinity is a major abiotic stressor that lowers agricultural production globally, affecting about 800 million hectares. In arid and semi-arid regions, poor irrigation practices and high evapotranspiration rates exacerbate salinization. Traditional chemical soil additives and salt-leaching techniques are costly, unsustainable, and environmentally harmful. Microbial biofertilizers, such as halobacteria, have shown great promise for saline agriculture due to their capacity to enhance plant development through nitrogen fixation, phosphate solubilization, and phytohormone synthesis. They also produce siderophores and exopolysaccharides that enhance soil nutrient uptake and structure. They can survive in environments that are inhospitable to the majority of other microorganisms due to their unique osmoadaptation abilities. These traits help plants cope with salt-induced stress by regulating ion homeostasis, boosting antioxidant activity, and fortifying root architecture and water-use efficiency.
The physiological traits of halobacteria, their ways of fostering plant growth in the face of saline stress, and their use as biofertilizers are all examined in this review article. In the face of growing soil salinization and climate change stresses, it emphasizes their potential for sustainable agricultural practices, improving crop production, restoring salt-degraded lands, and guaranteeing food security.