In the last six decades, the consumption of reactive nitrogen (Nr) in the form of fertilizer in India has been growing rapidly, whilst the nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) of cropping systems has been decreasing. These trends have led to increasing environmental losses of Nr, threatening the quality of air, soils, and fresh waters, and thereby endangering climate-stability, ecosystems, and human-health. Since it has been suggested that the fertilizer consumption of India may double by 2050, there is an urgent need for scientific research to support better nitrogen management in Indian agriculture. In order to share knowledge and to develop a joint vision, experts from the UK and India came together for a conference and workshop on “Challenges and Opportunities for Agricultural Nitrogen Science in India.” The meeting concluded with three core messages: (1) Soil stewardship is essential and legumes need to be planted in rotation with cereals to increase nitrogen fixation in areas of limited Nr availability. Synthetic symbioses and plastidic nitrogen fixation are possibly disruptive technologies, but their potential and implications must be considered. (2) Genetic diversity of crops and new technologies need to be shared and exploited to reduce N losses and support productive, sustainable agriculture livelihoods. (3) The use of leaf color sensing shows great potential to reduce nitrogen fertilizer use (by 10–15%). This, together with the usage of urease inhibitors in neem-coated urea, and better management of manure, urine, and crop residues, could result in a 20–25% improvement in NUE of India by 2030.

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The study targets to establish a factorial association of oral microbiome alterations (oral dysbiosis) with betel quid chewing habits through a comparison of the oral microbiome of Betel quid chewers and non-chewing individuals. Oral microbiome analysis of 22 adult individuals in the Delhi region of India through the 16S sequencing approach was carried out to observe the differences in taxonomic abundance and diversity. A significant difference in diversity and richness among Betel Quid Chewers (BQC) and Betel Quid Non-Chewers (BQNC) groups was observed. There were significant differences in alpha diversity among the BQC in comparison to BQNC. However, in the age group of 21–30 years old young BQC and BQNC there was no significant difference in alpha diversity. Similar result was obtained while comparing BQC and Smoker-alcoholic BQC. BQ smoker-chewers expressed significant variance in comparison to BQC, based on cluster pattern analysis. The OTU-based Venn Diagram Analysis revealed an altered microbiota, for BQ chewing group with 0–10 years exposure in comparison to those with 10 years and above. The change in the microbial niche in early chewers may be due to abrupt chemical component exposure affecting the oral cavity, and thereafter establishing a unique microenvironment in the long-term BQC. Linear discriminant analysis revealed, 55 significant features among BQC and Alcoholic-Smoker BQC; and 20 significant features among BQC and Smoker BQC respectively. The study shows the abundance of novel bacterial genera in the BQC oral cavity in addition to the commonly found ones. Since the oral microbiome plays a significant role in maintaining local homeostasis, investigating the link between its imbalance in such conditions that are known to have an association with oral diseases including cancers may lead to the identification of specific microbiome-based signatures for its early diagnosis.

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Degradation and pollution of land resources is a severe issue worldwide. Rapid urbanization and increased food demand have necessitated the restoration of degraded and highly contaminated land resources in a sustainable manner. The role of soil microorganism in maintaining nutrient balance, texture, fertility, and soil health is widely acknowledged. Cyanobacteria, one of the major components of soil microbiota, have been explored for their role as biofertilizers in improving plant growth and increasing soil fertility; however, less attention has been paid to their potential in restoring degraded lands. Cyanobacteria aids in nutrient cycling, production of plant growth‐promoting substances, desalination, and degradation of diverse organic as well as inorganic contaminants. They use diverse mechanisms for bioremediation (such as biosorption, bioaccumulation, and biotransformation) of contaminants in addition to the specific mechanism employed. They occur in symbiotic relationships with various hosts in natural as well as anthropogenically disturbed environments. Therefore, their use in restoration of highly degraded lands is justified and needs to be recognized worldwide. Identifying and exploring cyanobacterial species thriving in stress conditions and multiomics approaches would help in reconnoitering the complex plant–soil‐cyanobacteria interactions and enable scientists to design robust and well‐integrated biotechnological tools for soil remediation. Nevertheless, several technical challenges need to be addressed for rendering cyanobacteria as a realistic and viable bioasset. In this article, we summarize the role of cyanobacteria in addressing the reclamation of various types of degraded and polluted soils. And, it also examines the remaining knowledge gaps that limit its applicability in diverse environmental settings in a sustainable manner.

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