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Genomic Insights into Salt-Tolerant Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria from Mangrove Flora: Unlocking Agricultural Potential under Salinity Stress

by Sabbir Ahmed 1,5 Abu Reza 4,5 Md. Anisul Kabir 2,5 Md Ashikuzzaman Antor 3,5 Naeema Salatia Hoque 3,5 Fateha Nahum Tahia 3,5 Kaniz Fatema 3,5 Asif Ahmed Mahin 3,5 Mst. Rima Akter 3,5 Mohammad Abu Hena Mostofa Jamal 3,5*

  1. 1 Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Engineering Sciences, German University Bangladesh, Gazipur-1702, Bangladesh
  2. 2 Department of Environmental Science and Geography, Faculty of Sciences, Islamic University, Kushtia-7003, Bangladesh
  3. 3 Department of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Islamic University, Kushtia-7003, Bangladesh
  4. 4 Department of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Daffodil International University, Dhaka-1216, Bangladesh
  5. 5 Laboratory of Medical and Environmental Biotechnology, Islamic University, Kushtia-7003, Bangladesh

* Author to whom correspondence should be addressed. Mohammad Abu Hena Mostofa Jamal

Integrative Bioscience Nexus 2026 , 1(2) , https://doi.org/10.xxxx/ibn.2026.11.0001 —

Received June 15, 2026 Revised June 25, 2026 Accepted June 28, 2026 Published July 1, 2026

Abstract

Soil salinity is a major constraint on crop productivity, particularly in coastal areas of Bangladesh. To unlock microbial solutions, halotolerant plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) were isolated from the rhizosphere of wild plants in the Sundarbans mangrove forest. Among 23 soil samples, isolate 7A1 exhibited the strongest plant growth promoting traits, including phosphate solubilization, indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) production, hydrogen cyanide (HCN) and ammonia release, and nitrogen fixation. Inoculation of rice variety BR-28 with isolates 7A1–7A4 significantly improved seed germination and restored shoot length under salinity stress to levels comparable with non-saline conditions. Biochemical assay and 16s rRNA sequencing identified isolate 7A1 as Enterobacter hormaechei ML02, and whole-genome sequencing revealed genes linked to nutrient acquisition, phytohormone biosynthesis, stress mitigation, and heavy metal detoxification. These results demonstrate the potential of E. hormaechei ML02 as a salt-tolerant PGPR for enhancing rice growth in saline environments and provide genomic insights into its functional mechanisms and the agricultural potential of salt-tolerant PGPR under salinity stress.

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Cite this article

Sabbir Ahmed, Abu Reza, Md. Anisul Kabir, Md Ashikuzzaman Antor, Naeema Salatia Hoque, Fateha Nahum Tahia, Kaniz Fatema, Asif Ahmed Mahin, Mst. Rima Akter, & Mohammad Abu Hena Mostofa Jamal (2026). Genomic Insights into Salt-Tolerant Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria from Mangrove Flora: Unlocking Agricultural Potential under Salinity Stress. Integrative Bioscience Nexus, 1(2). https://doi.org/10.xxxx/ibn.2026.11.0001