Kumar Pranaw

Jawaharlal Nehru University | JNU · School of Environmental Sciences

Use of plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) for cultivation of the biofuel crop Miscanthus × giganteus (Mxg) in post-military and post-mining sites is a promising approach for the bioremediation of soils contaminated by metals. In the present study, PGPB were isolated from contaminated soil and screened for tolerance against abiotic stresses caus...

The second-generation energy crop Miscanthus x giganteus (M. xgiganteus) is a perspective plant for phytor-emediation of contaminated lands and the production of biomass. The excellent quality biomass can be ensured by adding soil amendments or inoculation of the plant by plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB). The main goal of the current study wa...

Combating the consequences of climate change is extremely important and critical in the context of feeding the world’s population. Crop simulation models have been extensively studied recently to investigate the impact of climate change on agricultural productivity and food security. Drought and salinity are major environmental stresses that cause...

Due to the increasing emphasis on the circular economy, research in recent years has focused on the feasibility of using biomass as an alternative energy source. Plant biomass is a potential substitute for countering the dependence on depleting fossil-derived energy sources and chemicals. However, in particular, lignocellulosic waste materials are...

Rapeseed ( Brassica napus L.) is a globally significant oilseed crop with high economic value. However, water deficit significantly limits its growth and productivity. Exopolysaccharides (EPS)‐producing bacteria offer a promising strategy to counteract drought stress, leveraging their high water retention capabilities and plant growth‐promoting (PG...

The use of microbial antagonists (MAs) against phytopathogens is a cost-effective, environmentally sustainable strategy that successfully enhances crop yield. In this study, we evaluated the in-planta efficacy of multistress-tolerant MAs isolated previously from the cotton rhizosphere showing high antagonistic activity against Macrophomina phaseoli...

In the pursuit of cost-effective and superior enzymes crucial for the efficient hydrolysis of diverse lignocellulosic biomasses, filamentous fungi have emerged as key candidates for bioprospecting endeavors. In our exploration for potent lignocellulosic biomass degraders, we have identified a strain of Penicillium fuscoglaucum JAM-1, showcasing mul...

In the understanding of the molecular interaction between plants and their microbiome, a key point is to identify simplified models of the microbiome including relevant bacterial and fungal partners which could also be effective in plant growth promotion. Here, as proof-of-concept, we aim to identify the possible interactions between symbiotic nitr...

Background Valorizing waste residues is crucial to reaching sustainable development goals and shifting from a linear fossil-based economy to a circular economy. Fungal cell factories, due to their versatility and robustness, are instrumental in driving the bio-transformation of waste residues. The present work isolated a potent strain, i.e., Asperg...

Gray mold, caused by Botrytis cinerea is a major cause of post-harvest rot of fresh fruits and vegetables. The utilization of selected microorganisms as biocontrol agents is a promising alternative to effectively control gray mold on tomatoes. The current study was conducted to explore potential biocontrol mechanisms of the Pseudomonas strain to co...

This edited book covers various bioinoculants for sustainable crop production under the changing global climate. The book envisages a compilation of articles relevant to the current status of production and use of novel microbial inoculants for different crops and highlights their role in mitigating global climate challenges. These include nutrient...

Agriculture accounts for approximately 11% of the total global GHG (greenhouse gases) emissions, and with the increase in emissions globally, efforts need to focus on improving farm management practices and the options used, more effectively and efficiently. Drought, rising temperatures, and greenhouse gas emissions all directly or indirectly impac...

Several seed priming methods can be used to improve seed germination, seedling vigor, and to overcome abiotic stress. In addition to these benefits, only the biopriming method provides the additional benefit of biotic stress management, earning it special attention. Seed biopriming is useful in almost all crops around the world and is an environmen...

Plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) enhance plant growth, as well as protect plants from several biotic and abiotic stresses through a variety of mechanisms. Therefore, the exploitation of PGPB in agriculture is feasible as it offers sustainable and eco-friendly approaches to maintaining soil health while increasing crop productivity. The vital...

The biosynthesis of microorganism based nanoparticles (NPs) is a safer, greener and eco-friendly technology that has gained worldwide attention for various applications. There were many ways for the synthesis of nanomaterial, such as chemical, physical and biological processes. Among them, the biological approach provides a reliable, quick, non-tox...

Land that has little to no utility for agriculture or industry is considered marginal land. This kind of terrain is frequently found on the edge of deserts or other arid regions. The amount of land that can be used for agriculture continues to be constrained by increasing desertification, which is being caused by climate change and the deterioratio...

Enormous amounts of keratinaceous waste make a significant and unexploited protein reserve that can be utilized through bioconversion into high-value products using microbial keratinases. This study was intended to assess the keratinase production from a newly isolated B. velezensis NCIM 5802 that can proficiently hydrolyze chicken feathers. Incuba...

Plant encounters various biotic and abiotic stresses, that affect agricultural productivity and reduce farmer's income especially under changing global climate. These environmental stresses can influence advance plant senescence by inducing osmotic stress, nutrient stress, hormonal imbalance, production of oxygen radicals, and ion toxicity, etc. Ad...

In recent years, in pursuit of sustainable and green chemistry, a plethora of ionic liquids (ILs) have been formulated to serve as safe alternatives to toxic solvents for numerous applications in electrochemistry, organic synthesis, inorganic/organic transformations, catalysis etc. Nonetheless, the unique and easily tunable physico-chemical propert...

The phytoremediation of industrial crops is becoming popular for the revitalization of land contaminated by trace elements (TEs). This approach combines biomass production with the improvement of soil health. To implement phytoremediation and derive sufficient dry biomass, crop production must be adequately supported by agricultural practices, incl...

Colors with their attractive appeal have been an integral part of human lives and the easy cascade of chemical catalysis enables fast, bulk production of these synthetic colorants with low costs. However, the resulting hazardous impacts on the environment and human health has stimulated an interest in natural pigments as a safe and ecologically cle...

Succinic acid has been extensively used as a precursor for the synthesis of various pharmaceutical- and food-grade chemicals of industrial significance. In general, succinic acid is synthesised through chemical methods such as electroreduction or catalytic hydrogenation of maleic acid or paraffin oxidation. However, these chemical routes suffer fro...

Chitinases are a large and diversified category of enzymes that break down chitin, the world’s second most prevalent polymer after cellulose. GH18 is the most studied family of chitinases, even though chitinolytic enzymes come from a variety of glycosyl hydrolase (GH) families. Most of the distinct GH families, as well as the unique structural and...

Climate change, environmental security, and sustainability of petrochemical resources along with depletion of fossil fuels are the current immerging issues all over the world. The industrial production of commodity chemicals from agricultural biomass provides a noteworthy contribution to solving the above mentioned environmental problems. The use o...

Lactic acid is an intermediate-volume specialty chemical, used in the production of biodegradable polymers and other chemicals. Although lactic acid production process is well established, however, the cost of production is very high. Therefore, in this study; starchy biomass (cassava) was hydrolyzed with in-house enzyme cocktail prepared from Aspe...

Lignocellulosic biomass are promising renewable resources for production of biofuels and platform chemicals. The present study encompasses the screening and isolation of lactic acid bacteria (LAB), stable in the presence of ionic liquids ([EMIM][OAc], [BMIM][MeSO4], and [BMIM][Cl]) and lignocellulosic inhibitors (HMF and furfural), and explores the...

Nanomaterials have found extensive applications in a wide array of life and industrial processes. The potential uses and benefits of nanotechnology in agriculture are important because the production of food increases with minimum cost and energy. Recently, the researcher has implemented nanomaterials in agriculture for the improvement of the crop...

Asparaginase (E.C.3.5.1.1), an important enzyme, is broadly disseminated in all the three domains of life and responsible for catalysing conversion of asparagine into aspartic acid and ammonia. It is one of the most utilized clinical enzymes used in the treatment of different types of cancers. However, there has been a renewed interest in other app...

Background: Although materials with nano-sized particles have always been prevalent in nature, lately the production and use of synthetic nanoparticles (NPs) in the industry are on the rise. This has led to a concomitant increase in their release into the environment. In the assessment of risks posed to human health it has emerged that plants are t...

The thermophilic fungus Malbranchea cinnamomea NFCCI 3724 produced significant level of β-mannanase when grown on copra meal 131 U/gds. In solid state fermentation, parameters namely pH, moisture content and carbon supplement were optimized by response surface methodology. Optimized conditions suggested by rotatable central composite design were: p...

β-glucosidase is an essential part of cellulase enzyme system for efficient and complete hydrolysis of biomass. Psychrotolerant Pseudomonas lutea BG8 produced β-glucosidase with lower temperature optima and hence can play important role in bringing down the energy requirement for bioethanol production. To enhance β-glucosidase production, two stati...

The filamentous bacteria Streptomyces spp. produces diverse extracellular enzymes and other secondary metabolites. Proteomic analysis of the secretome of holocellulolytic Streptomyces sp. ssr-198 was done by tandem mass spectrometry using an Orbitrap Velos hybrid mass spectrometer. A wide range of hydrolytic enzymes, including glycoside hydrolases...

Production of β-mannanase from thermotolerant Aspergillus terreus FBCC 1369 was optimized by response surface methodology (RSM) using plam kernel cake as substrate. Under unoptimized conditions i.e. 2 mm particle size of PKC, moisture level 1:1 and pH 6.5 fungus produced only 41 U/gds. Initial optimum conditions i.e. 0.5 particle size of PKC, locus...

A novel thermotolerant Streptomyces sp. ssr-198 with capacity to produce multicomponent holocellulolytic enzymes was isolated and identified using 16S rDNA sequencing. Important chemical components of medium were optimized by rotatable central composite design (RCCD) using response surface methodology (RSM) to achieve maximal yield of holocelluloly...

Xenorhabdus indica KB-3, a well-known protease producer, was isolated from its entomopathogenic nematode symbiont Steinernema thermophilum. Since medium constituents are critical to the protease production, the chemical components of the selected medium (soya casein digest broth) were optimized by rotatable central composite design (RCCD) using res...

The objective of this study was to develop a consortium of effective microorganisms to hasten the composting process and to reduce the composting period. Results An efficient microorganism (EM) consortium was developed using Candida tropicalis (Y6), Phanerochaete chrysosporium (VV18), Streptomyces globisporous (C3), Lactobacillus sp. and enriched ph...

Dimethyl phthalate (DMP) a common environmental pollutant is well known for its endocrine disrupting activities. Wide spread use of the plastics and pesticides in agriculture have resulted in DMP pollution in soils. An endosymbiotic bacteria Xenorhabdus indica isolated from entomopathogenic nematode Steinernema thermophilum was investigated for bio...

Proteases produced by Xenorhabdus are known to play a significant role in virulence leading to insect mortality. Present study was undertaken to purify and characterize protease from Xenorhabdus indica; an endosymbiant of nematode Steinernema thermophilum and deciphering its role in insect mortality and its efficacy to control Helicoverpa armigera....

An extracellular protease was purified and characterized from culture supernatant of Xenorhabdus indica, bacterial symbionts of soil-living entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs), Steinernema thermophilum using ammonium sulphate precipitation and ion exchange chromatography. The enzyme was 5 fold purified with 54% yield recovery. This was further charac...

Three bacterial strains with proteolytic, lipolytic and amylolytic activities were tested for their efficiency in enhancing the biodegradation of different organic wastes. The organic material was inoculated initially with fungal inoculant (5.0 g/kg). Bacterial consortia (1% v/w) were added after thermophilic phase and composting was carried out fo...

Xenorhabdus sp. SGchamp, mutualistically associated with insect-pathogenic nematodes of the families Steinernematidae are known to produce two colony forms, designated as primary and secondary phase. The primary form is better in its ability to provide nutrients for the nematodes in insects as well as for entomopathogenicity of nematode. The mechan...