Characterization of a novel root-associated diazotrophic rare PGPR taxa, Aquabacter pokkalii sp. nov., isolated from pokkali rice: new insights into the plant-associated lifestyle and brackish adaptation.

Salinity impacts crop growth and productivity and lowers the activities of rhizosphere microbiota. The identification and utilization of habitat-specific salinity-adapted plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) are considered alternative strategies to improve the growth and yields of crops in salinity-affected coastal agricultural fields. In this study, we characterize strain L1I39, the first Aquabacter species with PGPR traits isolated from a salt-tolerant pokkali rice cultivated in brackish environments.

External limiting membrane angle as a composite predictive index for post-operative ELM closure in full thickness macular holes.

Aim: To evaluate pre-operative qualitative and quantitative parameters of external limiting membranes (ELM) and other associated full thickness macular holes (FTMH) features and their predictive values for post-operative anatomical and functional outcomes.

Methods: This was a retrospective study of 48 eyes that underwent vitrectomy with internal limiting membrane (ILM) peeling for FTMH and had type 1 closure. All subjects underwent optical coherence tomography (SDOCT, Heidelberg, Spectralis), and the eyes were divided into complete ELM closure (CEC) and incomplete ELM closure (IEC) groups based on the post-operative OCTs within 2 months, and ROC curves were used to estimate which of the pre-operative parameters could best predict eyes falling in the CEC group.

Flavobacterium pokkalii sp. nov., a novel plant growth promoting native rhizobacteria isolated from pokkali rice grown in coastal saline affected agricultural regions of southern India, Kerala.

Nine plant-associated bacterial strains designated as L1I52, NRK F1, NRK F15, NRK F16, NRK F41, NRK F42, NRK F47, NRK F49, and NRK F50 originating from the roots and rhizosphere region of a coastal saline tolerant pokkali rice were taxonomically characterized in this study. Genomic fingerprinting using Enterobacterial Repetitive Intergenic Consensus (ERIC) primers discriminated the nine strains based on the DNA fingerprint patterns indicating that they were not clonal in origin. Phylogenetic analysis using 16S rRNA and other five housekeeping genes (gyrB, glyA, atpA, dnaK and murG) revealed that the novel strains constituted a single novel species within the genus Flavobacterium.

Sphingomonas pokkalii sp. nov., a novel plant associated rhizobacterium isolated from a saline tolerant pokkali rice and its draft genome analysis.

Three strains L3B27, 3CNBAF, L1A4 isolated from a brackish cultivated pokkali rice rhizosphere were characterised using a polyphasic taxonomic approach. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA and recA gene sequences revealed that these strains were highly similar among each other and formed a separate monophyletic cluster within the genus Sphingomonas with Sphingomonas pituitosa DSM 13101, Sphingomonas azotifigens DSM 18530 and Sphingomonas trueperi DSM 7225 as their closest relatives sharing 97.9-98.

Novosphingobium pokkalii sp nov, a novel rhizosphere-associated bacterium with plant beneficial properties isolated from saline-tolerant pokkali rice.

Pokkali rice varieties are known for their saline tolerance when specifically grown in coastal saline affected agri-fields of southern Kerala. These fields are prone to seawater intrusion. During characterization of phytobeneficial rhizobacteria from this pokkali rice, L3E4 was isolated.

Arthrobacter pokkalii sp nov, a Novel Plant Associated Actinobacterium with Plant Beneficial Properties, Isolated from Saline Tolerant Pokkali Rice, Kerala, India.

A novel yellow colony-forming bacterium, strain P3B162T was isolated from the pokkali rice rhizosphere from Kerala, India, as part of a project study aimed at isolating plant growth beneficial rhizobacteria from saline tolerant pokkali rice and functionally evaluate their abilities to promote plant growth under saline conditions. The novel strain P3B162T possesses plant growth beneficial traits such as positive growth on 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC), production of indole acetic acid (IAA) and siderophore. In addition, it also showed important phenotypic characters such as ability to form biofilm and utilization of various components of plant root exudates (sugars, amino acids and organic acids), clearly indicating its lifestyle as a plant rhizosphere associated bacterium.