Harnessing Genetic Diversity and Microbial Consortia for Climate-Resilient Agriculture: Integrating DREB1A-Based Crop Improvement with Ecosystem-Based Food System Transformation

This study investigates biodiversity-driven strategies for climate-resilient agriculture by integrating targeted crop genetic resource conservation with ecosystem-based food system transformation. Focusing on drought-responsive gene DREB1A and a multifunctional microbial consortium comprising Azospirillum brasilense, Bacillus velezensis, and Trichoderma harzianum, the research evaluates how combined genetic and ecological innovations enhance crop performance under climatic stress. A total of 60 accessions of wheat landraces and crop wild relatives were collected from semi-arid, mountainous, and agro-pastoral zones and screened for allelic variation in DREB1A using qPCR and whole-gene sequencing. Twenty genetically diverse accessions were selected for controlled environment and field trials. The experiment employed a randomized complete block design with four treatments: (i) native landrace control, (ii) DREB1A-introgressed line, (iii) microbial consortium inoculation, and (iv) combined gene–microbial integration. Parallel landscape-level interventions established diversified agroecological plots incorporating legumes, pollinator flora, and organic mulch in three representative sites. Methodology included phenotyping for drought tolerance indices, gas-exchange measurements, root metabolite profiling, soil microbiome sequencing (16S and ITS), and yield stability analysis across two stress seasons. Ecosystem-level metrics, organic carbon, microbial biomass, pollinator abundance, and dietary diversity scores of farming households were monitored to assess the impact of diversified food systems. Data was analyzed using mixed-effect models, structural equation modeling, and resilience indices to quantify adaptive capacity. Preliminary results indicate that DREB1A enhanced lines combined with microbial consortia exhibited up to 38% higher relative water content, 29% greater photosynthetic efficiency, and 22–35% higher yield stability under water stress compared to controls. Soil health improved significantly, with a 15% increase in organic carbon and a 28% rise in microbial biomass in diversified ecosystem plots. Pollinator abundance increased by 31% in florally enriched landscapes, supporting higher seed set and crop uniformity. Systems-level modeling suggests that scaling integrated genetic–microbial innovations with diversified agroecosystems across 25–30% of cropland could reduce regional food insecurity risk by 35–45% while enhancing long-term conservation of crop genetic diversity through community seed banks and in situ micro-reserves.

Key Words: DREB1A, PGPR consortia, agro-biodiversity, climate resilience, ecosystem-based adaptation, food systems.