The Department of Biotechnology (DBT) is an Indian government department, under the Ministry of Science and Technology responsible for administrating development and commercialisation in the field of modern biology and biotechnology in India. It was set up in 1986.
Microbial biofilms are an essential component of plant-microbe interactions where rhizosphere is one such structure that provide nature’s creative answers for sustainable agriculture. The extracellular polymeric matrix surrounding biofilm communities promotes microbial colonization, nutrient cycling, and plant stress tolerance. Biofilms greatly contribute to plant development through various methods, such as altered root systems, enhanced nutrient availability, pathogen control, and abiotic stress reduction. Some important microbial genera that develop biofilm together or with others to benefit plant health and growth are Trichoderma, Bacillus, Pseudomonas, etc. Optimizing the agricultural application of microbial biofilm requires a detailed understanding of the molecular processes behind quorum sensing, biofilm development, and interactions between species. Advances in plant microbe biofilm research have been intensified in last decade that is clearly reflected in the microbe-based products. These developments have been further intensified by application of nanotechnology tools that have increased agricultural yield, lessen reliance on chemical inputs, and maintain environmental sustainability. This review has compiled the information about microbial biofilm as plant growth promoting means that is constructed either by single species or by mixed microbial community. The importance of quorum sensing and signaling molecules in formation of biofilm, its interaction with plant, has also been summarized. Further the commercial products developed for promoting microbial biofilm, resisting microbial attack, and fulfilling the nutrient requirements has also been reviewed. The review presents a comprehensive detail on biofilms that benefit plant as well as soil health and emphasizes on practicing/promoting application of microbial biofilms for developing robust and sustainable crop production systems.
Cement contaminated soils represent chemically extreme environments, characterized by high alkalinity and high ion concentrations, which selectively enrich microorganisms capable withstanding substantial physicochemical stress. In this study, alkaliphilic ureolytic bacteria were isolated from cement contaminated soil samples collected from construction sites using urea-supplemented nutrient agar at pH 9.0. The isolates were screened for their potential to have ureolytic and drive microbially induced calcium carbonate precipitation. This study, recovered 17 morphologically distinct bacterial isolates on the initial isolation, and six were selected based on strong urease activity and calcium carbonate precipitation capacity. Among the selected strains, five were Gram-positive, endospore-forming bacteria, while one was Gram-negative, non-spore forming bacterium. All strains exhibited ureolytic, alkaliphilic, salt tolerant, and moderately thermophilic characteristics. Urease activity varied considerably among strains, with isolate MHS3 showing the highest activity (7.91 mM urea hydrolyzed.min− 1), whereas isolate Y showed the lowest (3.93 mM urea hydrolyzed.ml− 1). 16 S rRNA gene sequencing identified four isolates belonging to the genus Bacillus (Bacillus sp. MHS2, B. subtilis MHS3, B. paramycoides MHS4, B. pumilus B2), one genus Lysinibacillus (L. boronitolerans Y) and genus Halomonas (Halomonas sp. CSS4), all showing ≥ 98
Broadband photodetectors simplify multiband sensing by eliminating the need for complex integration of multiple narrow-band devices. Polyoxometalates (POMs), known for their excellent electronic properties and redox activity, enhance this functionality by promoting efficient charge transport and light absorption. In this study, we synthesized a Dawson-type germanium-doped polyoxometalate to explore its photodetection capabilities across the UV–Vis–NIR spectrum. The compound was thoroughly characterized using 31P NMR, FT-IR, UV–Vis spectroscopy, cyclic-voltage (C-V) profiling, SEM, EDX, TEM, and AFM analyses. The fabricated device demonstrated a notable rectification ratio of 1383.62. Under solar illumination, it achieved a minimum noise equivalent power (NEP) of 1.2 × 10–12 WHz−1/2 and a high detectivity of 7.42 × 1010 Jones. Its performance was further evaluated across wavelengths from 351 to 1600 nm without applying external bias, highlighting its potential as a self-powered photodetector. At 1000 nm (6.8 mW/cm2), the device exhibited a responsivity of 22.49 mA/W and a detectivity of 1.46 × 1010 Jones, confirming its suitability for broadband, self-powered UV–Vis–NIR photodetection applications.
Schematic representation of the synthesis of fluorescent GCDs.
Hybrid metal–polymer–two-dimensional (2D) semiconductor heterojunctions offer an effective platform for tailoring interface-controlled electrical and dielectric properties. In this study, Al/PANI–Silicene/n-Si Schottky diodes were fabricated and investigated using current–voltage, capacitance–voltage, admittance, and impedance spectroscopy over a wide frequency range. The devices exhibit clear rectifying behavior with an enhanced effective barrier height and reduced reverse leakage current, indicating relatively improved interface quality. Frequency-dependent measurements reveal strong dispersion in capacitance and dielectric loss at low frequencies, which gradually diminish at higher frequencies. Impedance and Nyquist analyses show a single dominant interfacial response, while modulus and dielectric representations indicate non-ideal relaxation behavior associated with a distributed spectrum of interface states. The extracted electrical parameters demonstrate that the incorporation of a Silicene interlayer significantly modifies the interfacial response of PANI-based Schottky junctions. These results provide a measurement-driven understanding of charge transport and dielectric behavior in polymer–2D–Si heterostructures and highlight their potential for advanced electronic device applications.
