Biochemical characterization and Screening of the Halotolerant Marine Bacteria for Potential Alleviation of Saline Stress

Soil salinization is an escalating global issue that affects approximately 20% of cultivated land and severely limits the productivity of most non-halophytic crops. Unlike halophytes, agricultural crops lack specialized mechanisms to survive salinity stress. This study aimed to evaluate the potential of marine bacteria to mitigate salt stress and facilitate germination in non-halophytic crops at elevated salt concentrations. Five strains of Marine Bacteria (MB-1 to MB-5) were isolated from a coastal seawater sample. These isolates underwent a Saline Tolerance Test at 1%, 3%,and 5% NaCl Concentrations. These isolates were characterised using standard biochemical tests, including Gram staining, catalase activity, hydrogen sulphide test, Methyl Red and Voges’s Proskauer tests Experimental tests performed projected resultsthat were similar for each strain of the isolated marine bacteria. In particular, the carbohydrate utilization profile was analyzed using the Methyl Red and Voges-Proskauer tests. Tests like catalase, determined that the strain possess the capability of suppressing the levels of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) where researchers convey that this product is produced in higher levels under stress. The tests performed on these bacterial strains resulted in various inferences for all the strains, which projected a healthier outcome for superior applications in the ability of plants to sustain salinity conditions.