8^th International Conference on Environmental Microbiology, Soil Microbiology & Microbial Biogeochemistry November 27-28, 2023 Montreal, Canada

Biography:

Abstract:

Biography:

Abdulwasiu Sakariyau is an Environmental Microbiologist. His research interests include soil microbiology, plant-microbe interactions, Biodegradation of contaminated soil, and the discovery of biofertilizers and biocontrol agents. He is an alumnus of the University of Ilorin and the Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta, Nigeria where he obtained a BSc (Microbiology) and MSc (Environmental Microbiology) respectively. He currently lectures at the Department of Biological Sciences, Crescent University Abeokuta, Nigeria. Abdulwasiu is a passionate academic with over 6 years of teaching and research experience.

Abstract:

This study was aimed at evaluating the plant growth-promoting potential and antagonistic ability of endophytic bacteria. Indigenous endophytic bacteria were isolated from surface-sterilized roots and leaves of maize plants. Isolates were screened for plant growth-promoting potential using hydrogen cyanide (HCN) production, phosphate solubilization, indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) production, and ammonia production assays. In vitro antagonistic assay was used to evaluate the antagonistic ability of the isolates against selected phytopathogens. Results showed that Bacillus subtilis, B. cereus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Microbacterium sp. were HCN producers; all the isolates produced substantial IAA which ranged from 0.69-1.96 mg/mL; Bacillus subtilis, P.  aeruginosa and Microbacterium sp. solubilized phosphate with clear zones of 0.49mm, 0.41mm and 0.66mm respectively. Also, all the isolates except Staphylococcus epidermidis produced ammonia. Microbacterium sp. had the highest percentage of growth inhibition against Alternaria alternata (63.82%), while B. subtilis had the highest percentage of growth inhibition against Rhizoctonia solani (67.45%) and Fusarium oxysporum (71.26%). This study revealed that indigenous endophytic bacteria from maize plants have plant growth-promoting potential and could inhibit the growth of some fungal pathogens of the maize plants.

Biography:

Dr. Kailash Chand Kumawat is an Assistant Professor (Agri.) Microbiology in the Department of Industrial Microbiology, Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology and Sciences, UP, India. He has been engaged in research on the plant-microbial interaction to mitigate abiotic and biotic stress under sustainable agriculture. A research field includes the plant microbial interaction, legume symbiosis, endophytic microbiome and their interaction with plant to mitigate abiotic and biotic stresses under sustainable agriculture. At present, he has published 16 research papers in peer reviewed international and national journals, 16 book chapters in Springer and Elsevier publishers, 3 full paper in the international and national conferences, 16 popular articles in reputed magazines and 12 abstract in National and International conferences related to field of agriculture microbiology, soil microbiology and environmental sciences, of which Papers are Published in Microbiological Research (Q1, IF = 5.415), World Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology (Q1, IF =  4.253), Pedosphere (Q1, IF = 5.514 ), Environment Science and Pollution Research (Q1, IF = 5.190) Frontiers in Microbiology (Q1, IF = 6.064), Frontiers in Plant Science (Q1, IF = 6.627 ) and Science of the Total Environment (Q1, IF = 10.753).

Abstract:

Soil salinity, a growing issue worldwide, is a detrimental consequence of the ever-changing climate, which has highlighted and worsened the conditions associated with damaged soil quality, reduced agricultural production, and decreasing land areas, thus resulting in an unsteady national economy. In this study, halo-tolerant plant growth-promoting rhizo-microbiomes (PGPRs) are evaluated in the salinity-affected agriculture as they serve as excellent agents in controlling various biotic–abiotic stresses and help in the augmentation of crop productivity. Integrated efforts of these effective microbes lighten the load of agro-chemicals on the environment while managing nutrient availability. PGPR-assisted modern agriculture practices have emerged as a green strategy to benefit sustainable farming without compromising the crop yield under salinity as well as salinity-affected supplementary stresses including increased temperature, drought, salinity, and potential invasive plant pathogenicity. PGPRs as bio-inoculants impart induced systemic tolerance (IST) to plants by the production of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), antioxidants, osmolytes, extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), phyto-hormones, and ACC deaminase and recuperation of nutritional status and ionic homeostasis. Regulation of PGPR-induced signaling pathways such as MAPK and CDPK assists in salinity stress alleviation. The “Next Gen Agriculture” consists of the application of designer crop microbiomes through gene editing tools, for instance, CRISPR, and engineering of the metabolic pathways of the microbes so as to gain maximum plant resistance. The utilization of omics technologies over the traditional approaches can fulfil the criteria required to increase crop yields in a sustainable manner for feeding the burgeoning population and augment plant adaptability under climate change conditions, ultimately leading to improved vitality. Furthermore, constraints such as the crop specificity issue of PGPR, lack of acceptance by farmers, and legal regulatory aspects have been acknowledged while also discussing the future trends for product commercialization with the view of the changing climate.

Biography:

Belarbi Aicha Yasmine holds a doctorate from Ahmed Ben Bella Oran1 University in Algeria, specializing in Microbial Genetics and works as a temporary teacher at the University of USTO-Oran. In her research, she is interested in the isolation and identification of lactic acid bacteria from different origins as well as in biotechnological characterization. She did internships in different sectors: From the food industry to the clinic. The internship that marked her was her stay at IPLA (Instituto De Productos Lacteos De Asturias) in Spain as well as her stay at Degli Studi Di Verona University in Italy in Food Microbiology Laboratory. These stays were of great importance where she learned a lot of techniques and has a lot of responsibilities. Born in Tiaret in Algeria, on 07/04/1993. She obtained a baccalaureate in the same city, a Bachelor's degree and a Master's degree at Abdelhamid Ibn Badis University in Mostaganem, specializing in Fundamental and Applied Microbiology and a doctorate in Microbial Genetics. She has participated in national and international congresses and her last article is about identification and biotechnological characterization of lactic acid bacteria isolated from Algerian dairy and plant material.

Abstract:

Currently, Algerian derivate Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB) strains are gaining attention in literature due to its potential to antagonize pathogenic bacteria, resulting in candidate strains for bioprotection purposes. In this context, to select eligible strains which could be applied as bioprotective and/or starter cultures, the present study aimed to characterize the genomic variability, biotechnological potential and safety of thirty-eight LAB isolated from Algerian dairy and plant material (Olive oil-pollen) of western Algeria. The isolates were unequivocally identified by 16S rRNA gene and fingerprint-based methods. The following species were identified: Enterococcus faecium (n=15), Enterococcus durans (n=2), Enterococcus hirae (n=2), Enterococcus lactis (n=1), Lactiplantibacillus plantarum (n=6), Lactococcus lactis (n=4), Levilactobacillus brevis (n=3), Lacticaseibacillus paracasei (n=3), Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus (n=1), and Pediococcus acidilactici (n=1). Among the strains, three of them, L. lactis LGMY8, Lb. plantarum LGMY30 and Lb. paracasei LGMY31 were safe and showed some valuable biotechnological properties, such as high acidification, proteolytic activity, EPS production, and inhibition of undesirable bacteria, that made them powerful candidates to be used as bioprotective or cultures.

Biography:

Abstract:

Statement of the Problem: Microorganisms from the genus Lactobacillus are responsible for spontaneous food fermentations. Some species, of lactobacilli have the “Qualified Presumption of Safety” status recognized by the European Food Safety Authority. Several of their strains are used as probiotics in foods, sometimes included in synbiotic combinations together with prebiotics.  New microbial strains from different sources represent an opportunity to use them for autochthonous food production.

Here we assessed the capacity of selected strains isolated from, human colustrum and aggregate of olive oil and identified by partical 16S rRNA gene sequencing as  L.brevis , and two L.paracasei casei respectivelly, to survive in vitro to gastrointestinal conditions: low pH, high bile salts concentrations and adhesion to HT29 intestinal cell line and  as well as antibiotic resistance against eleven antibiotics , we tested their growth and production of organic acids and volatile compounds by HPLC and gas chromatography, respectively,when they were incubated anaerobicallyin the presence of inulin, fructooligosaccharides or galactooligosaccharides as the main carbon sources. The strains were able to survive to simulated gastrointestinal conditions, to adhere to the HT29 cell line, and to grow in inulin, FOS, and GOS. However, they displayed different profiles of organic acids and volatile compounds, mainly depending on the prebiotic used and the microbial species.

Conclusion & SignificanceThe influence that the combined use of strains with prebiotics could exert on the organic acids and volatile formed in food and in the gut should be specifically assessed for each synbiotic combination and food product.

Biography:

Abstract:

The present work aims at the valorisation of basidiocarps by studying their prolific products with antifungal potential and biostimulant effect. A collection of basidiocarps belonging to 16 genera of basidiomycetes was carried out in northwestern Algeria. These are the following fungi: Lactarius zonarioides, Amanita proxima, Amanita virosa, Agaricus bisporus, Suillus mediterraneensis, Boletus sp., Xerocomus sp.,
Coprinus atramentarius, Pleurotus ostreatus, P. pulmonarius, P. eryngii, P. dryinus, Lepiota sp., Cortinarius orellanus, Armillaria mellea and Trametes quercina. The ethylacetate extracts of these basidiocarps are tested in vitro on the mycelial growth of 3 phytopathogenic strains (Verticillium dahliae, Fusarium oxysporum f. sp.albedinis and Aspergillus niger), which showed the antifungal effect of the extracts mainly from: A.proxima, A. virosa, A. mellea, T.quercina, P. pulmonarius and Lepiota sp.

High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used to determine the chemical profile of basidiomycete extracts, noting the presence of Flavone in A. bisporus, Boletus sp., P. dryinus, S. mediterraneensis, C.atramentarius, T. quercina and Xerocomus sp.; flavonols (Rutin and Galangin, Myricetin, Quercetin) in P.ostreatus, C.atramentarius, and P. dryinus; tannic acid in S. mediterraneensis and α-tocopherol in Boletus sp.

Finally, the biostimulatory effect of basidiomycetes extracts was tested on the growth of aubergine under hydroponic conditions. The majority of the extracts showed a significant effect on plant growth. Indeed, EXT10 (Boletus sp.) was the only stimulator of all growth parameters of the aubergine plant, EXT15 (P.ostreatus) stimulated all growth parameters except PFA and PSA EXT1 (L. zonarioides), EXT2 (A.proxima), EXT 3 (A.virosa) EXT6 (C. atramentarius), EXT8 (Lepiota sp.), EXT9  (C. orellanus), EXT 12 (P. eryngii), EXT13 (P.dryinus) and EXT14 (A. mellea) stimulated all growth parameters except PSA. All the results and those presented in the chemical analysis, confirmed that our basidiocarp extracts develop a diversity of bioactive products of secondary metabolites that contribute to the growth of the plant thus offering it a strong agricultural potential.  These compounds are called biostimulants and contribute to increasing plant yields.

Biography:

Abstract:

The chemical properties of the soil and heavy metals (6) in transformer oil polluted soil inoculated with two lower fungi Aspergillus niger (U3) and Aspergillus sp (I5) for the period of 0-10 weeks was investigated in this study. Soil was collected from three sites from a depth of 0-15 cm and heavy metals analysis was conducted using Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry (ICP-OES). The heavy metal concentrations in the soil collected from Ibadan inoculated with the two fungi vary ranging from 306.82-383.31 mg·kg-1 (Fe), 7.53 -11.02 mg·kg-1 (Mn), 7.71-19.01 mg·kg-1 (Cu), 9.84-11.49 mg·kg-1 (Zn), 7.77-10.56 mg·kg-1 (Mg) and 8.3211.78 mg·kg-1 (Pb) while soil from Warri had Fe concentration of 76.06-153.10 mg·kg-1, Zn 0.16-0.78 mg·kg-1, Mg 0.32-3.91 mg·kg-1, Pb 0.09-0.35 mg·kg-1 and soil collected from Ughelli had Fe concentration of 91.71-145.98 mg·kg-1 and 0.30-2.85 mg·kg-1. The soil from the study sites were observed to be rich in Fe and Cu but had low level of lead which is vital as the presence of high level of lead in the soil could be harmful to living organisms.

Biography:

Christopher Mutuku is currently serving as a lecturer of Microbiology and Biotechnology at Chuka University in Kenya. He has a wealth of research experience in plasmid mediated antimicrobial resistance in microorganisms isolated from wastewater spanning from hospital effluents, septic tanks and wastewater treatment plants. He explores the occurrence of both extended spectrum beta-lactamase producing Enterobacterales and carbapenem resistant non-fermenting Pseudomonas aeruginosa and acinetobacter baumanii. His research also extends to cover glycopeptide resistant Enterococci especially vancomycin resistant E. faecium as well as the role of microbial biofilms in antimicrobial resistance. He is currently exploring the possibility of colistin residues in wastewater and the occurrence of mobilizable colistin resistance genes (mcr genes) in environmental matrices with the aim of building a framework to guide on the rising trend in resistance to the salvage antibiotics especially among the carbapenemase-producing Gram-negative bacteria.

Abstract:

Antimicrobial resistance presents a global challenge to the fight against infections in modern time. It is projected that, close to 2.4 million people are likely to die globally by the year 2050 due to infections linked to antibiotic resistance. Antimicrobials indiscriminately discharged into wastewater promote the emergence of antibiotic resistance, facilitated by selective pressure and transfer of resistance genes. This study aimed to determine the antimicrobial resistance profiles of enteric bacteria from wastewater and to establish the prevalence of plasmid borne β-lactamases and other mechanisms conferring multi-resistance. Enteric bacteria, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Klebsiella oxytoca, Enterobacter cloacae, and Citrobacter species (n = 126) from hospital effluents and proximate wastewater treatment plant in the city of Pecs, Hungary, were assayed for susceptibility to four antimicrobial classes. The β-lactamase encoding genes harbored in plasmids were genotyped and the plasmid DNA was subjected to the next generation sequencing. A multidrug resistance phenotype was found in 72% (n = 58) of E. coli isolates, 70% (n = 43) of Klebsiella species isolates, and 40% (n = 25) of Enterobacter and Citrobacter species. 86% (n = 50) of E. coli, 77% (n = 33) of Klebsiella species and 25% (n = 4) of Citrobacter species isolates phenotypically expressed extended spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL). ESBL genes, bla_CTX-M-27 and bla_TEM-1 were found in E. coli, while Klebsiella species harbored bla_CTX-M-15, bla_CTX-M-30, or bla_SHV-12. Genes coding for aminoglycoside modifying enzymes, adenylyltransferases (aadA1, aadA5), phosphotransferases (aph(6)-1d, aph(3")-Ib), acetyltransferases (aac(3)-IIa), (aac(6)-Ib), sulfonamide/trimethoprim resistant dihydropteroate synthase (sul), and dihydrofolate reductase (dfrA) were also identified. Mobile genetic elements namely; plasmids and integrons acquired via horizontal gene transfer are vehicles for multi-resistance in enteric bacteria from wastewater. Monitoring wastewater from human sources for acquired resistance in clinically important bacteria may provide a cheaper alternative in regions facing challenges that limit clinical surveillance.