Soil Microbiome Engineering through Synthetic Microbial Consortia for Sustainable Wheat Production under Climate Change
Dr. Viraj Thornwell (India)
Abstract
The availability of wheat is severely affected by climate change, among other issues, and synthetic microbial consortia may help alleviate this problem. Purpose: This research focused on the effectiveness of designed soil microbiomes in terms of the wheat yield. Methods: A field study was conducted for two growing seasons, applying different climatic conditions and microbial consortium types in the study. Findings: The use of the designed microbial consortium was found to have increased the wheat yield by 28-35% and by 32-38%, respectively, under drought and heat stress. The microbial biomass carbon has risen by 46%, alongside a measurable increase in the microbial biodiversity indices. Conclusions: Engineered soil microbiomes can be used for developing climate-resilient wheat production systems.
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.54660/ejsa.2026.6.2.39-43 |
| Journal Issue | Vol. 6, No. 2 (2026) |
| Pages | 39-43 |
| Reference Number | 15 |
| Keywords | Soil microbiome engineering, Synthetic microbial consortia, Plant–microbe interactions, Climate change adaptation, Wheat production, Sustainable agriculture, Rhizosphere ecology, Nutrient cycling |