Research Interests

My fundamental research interests are in studying the symbiotic relationships of beneficial soil microorganisms (rhizobia, Plant growth Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPR), Arbuscular Mycorrhiza Fungi (AMF) and Piriformospora indica as an endophytic fungus) and plants especially agriculturally important plants both in normal and adverse environmental conditions. Ongoing research projects have objectives that include the effects of the beneficial soil microorganism in increasing their host plant resistance to heavy metal pollutions, salinity, dought and also improving plant nutrients uptake from soil. The results of these researches pave the way for using new biotechnological methods such as proteomics at identifying the molecular mechanisms of induced abiotic stresses (heavy metals, salinity and drought) in plants by soil microorganisms and also, microbial adaption to adverse environmental factors such as pollutant compounds. As part of a collaborative effort with other soil science department staffs, I have also become interested in Phyto-Bioremediation of heavy metal contaminants and Geomicrobiology which concerns the role of microbe and microbial processes in geological and geochemical processes and vice-versa.