Engineering Rhizobiome of Flue-Cured Virginia (FCV) Tobacco to Improve Productivity in Karnataka, India: A Review
S. S. Sreenivas *
ICAR-Central Tobacco Research Institute, Rajahmundry 533 105, AP, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Flue-Cured Virginia (FCV) tobacco is an important commercial kharif crop in Southern Transitional Zone (STZ) of Karnataka, India. FCV tobacco is a mono crop over the years alternated mainly with maize a nutrient exhaustive crop. Due to continuous cropping soils have become poor influencing crop growth parameters. Changed soil characters are also, likely to influence rhizosphere microbial activity leading to pH aberrations and enzyme activity. To cope up with the climate change it is necessary to understand the rhizobiome, its diversity and plant-biome interaction under given conditions in STZ. Rhizobiome which is an important component in providing ecological services to crop has to be perfected for better crop establishment. Several bacterial and fungal communities have specific roles in improving the soil conditions for better uptake of nutrients in addition to protection from pathogens. Though several bioagents are being advocated against diseases, the survival and multiplication of introduced bioagent is not encouraging. Plants establish rhizobiome of specific requirement through root secretions for mutual advantage. Since tobacco is very sensitive crop, need to manage nutrients judiciously.
Keywords: FCV tobacco, Southern Transition Zone, Karnataka, crop growth, rhizosphere; biogents, engineered rhizobiome