Plant-associated microbes include taxonomically diverse communities of bacteria, archaebacteria, fungi, and viruses, which establish integral ecological relationships with the host plant and constitute the phyto-microbiome. The phyto-microbiome not only contributes in normal growth and development of plants but also plays a vital role in the maintenance of plant homeostasis during abiotic stress conditions. Owing to its immense metabolic potential, the phyto-microbiome provides the host plant with the capability to mitigate the abiotic stress through various mechanisms like production of antioxidants, plant growth hormones, bioactive compounds, detoxification of harmful chemicals and toxins, sequestration of reactive oxygen species and other free radicals. A deeper understanding of the structure and functions of the phyto-microbiome and the complex mechanisms of phyto-microbiome mediated abiotic stress mitigation would enable its utilization for abiotic stress alleviation of crop plants and development of stress-resistant crops. This review aims at exploring the potential of phyto-microbiome to alleviate drought, heat, salinity and heavy metal stress in crop plants and finding sustainable solutions to enhance the agricultural productivity. The mechanistic insights into the role of phytomicrobiome in imparting abiotic stress tolerance to plants have been summarized, that would be helpful in the development of novel bioinoculants. The high-throughput modern approaches involving candidate gene identification and target gene modification such as genomics, metagenomics, transcriptomics, metabolomics, and phyto-microbiome based genetic engineering have been discussed in wake of the ever-increasing demand of climate resilient crop plants.

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The microspores morphology of 18 species of Selaginellaceae found in Arunachal Pradesh, North East India, is studied using light microscopy and electron microscopy. Of the 18 taxa examined here, the study of five taxa is attempted for the first time using an electron microscope. The species studied exhibit variation in size, shape, color and ornamentation of the microscpores. The equatorial diameter ranges from 11 to 57 mm. The tetrad form of the microscpores is recorded in four species. The variations in the microscpores ornamentation within the species of the family are useful in identification, classification and taxonomic distinction of the species. An identification key is provided for the species under study. This research is beneficial for the enumeration of basic information of microspores of the family and for the precise identification of Selaginella species. Statistical analysis of the distal and proximal surface ornamentation of the microspores is also provided.