Sulphur Cycling Microbiomes: Biogeochemical Transformations, Stress Resilience and Next Generation Tools for Improving Oilseed Crop Yield and Quality
Anuradha Yadav
Department of Agronomy, Sri Karan Narendra Agriculture University, Jobner, Rajasthan-303329, India.
D. K. Jajoria
Department of Agronomy, Sri Karan Narendra Agriculture University, Jobner, Rajasthan-303329, India.
Asha Kumari *
Department of Biotechnology, Junagadh Agricultural University, Junagadh, Gujarat-362001, India.
Vikas Sharma
Department of Biotechnology, Directorate of Research, Swami Keshwanand Rajasthan Agricultural University Bikaner, Rajasthan-334006, India.
Harshad Sodhaparmar
Department of Biochemistry, Junagadh Agricultural University, Junagadh, Gujarat-362001, India.
Pooja Kumari Meena
Department of Agronomy, Rajasthan College of Agriculture, Maharana Pratap University of Agriculture and Technology Udaipur, Rajasthan -313001, India.
Gamit Snehlata R
Department of Biochemistry, Junagadh Agricultural University, Junagadh, Gujarat-362001, India.
Lalita Kumari
Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Anand Agricultural University, Anand, Gujarat-388110, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Sulphur (S) is an essential secondary macronutrient that plays a wonderful role in measuring the oil content, yield, and quality of crops. It is integral part of protein synthesis, enzyme activation, oil biosynthesis, chlorophyll formation, and sulphur-containing production of secondary metabolites like glucosinolates. In nowadays, sulphur deficiency has emerged as a major nutritional restriction in oilseed-based agroecosystems due to exhaustive cropping, decreasing atmospheric sulphur emission, extensively use of sulphur-free fertilizers, and reducing organic inputs. Soil sulphur exists in multiple organic and inorganic forms that undergo continuous biogeochemical transformation processes broadly controlled by soil microbes. Sulphur-cycling based microbiomes mediate mineralization, immobilization, oxidation, and reduction, thereby regulating sulphur availability and plant acquisition. Beyond nutrition, sulphur plays a vital role in enhancing resilience to stresses through regulation mechanism of redox homeostasis, antioxidant and induce systemic defense systems. Recent advancement of in next-generation technology, especially next-generation sequencing (NGS), multi-omics, metagenomics, transcriptomics, and precision nutrient management strategies, have revolutionized the studying of sulphur-cycling microbial community assembly and their important functions in oilseed cropping. This review highlights current understanding on sulphur biogeochemistry, sulphur-cycling based microbiomes, stress resilience systems, and advancing next-generation technology, exposing their integrative potential for enhancing and improving oilseed crop yield, quality in sustainable agriculture, and eco-sustainability.
Keywords: Sulphur nutrition, sulphur-cycling microbiomes, oilseed crops, stress, soil biogeochemistry, sustainable agriculture, next-generation technology