A Review of Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria and Their Characteristics as Potential Biofertilizer

Abstract

The growing demand for agricultural products for food requirements caused the use of excessive inorganic chemical fertilisers, insecticides, fungicides, and pesticides for a quick and simple way to maximise and boost crop yield. This practice harmed food safety and caused the degradation of environmental, physical, and biological conditions. It has become alarming, and now is the time for a greener approach to increase agricultural output while minimising the use of inorganic chemical fertilisers. It was proven through many previous studies that using environmentally friendly biofertilisers has managed to increase crop yield while reducing the usage of chemical fertilisers. Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) are mostly used in biofertiliser production because these types of microbes will enhance plant growth and yield by mobilising the available nutrients through several biological mechanisms, including fixation of atmospheric nitrogen, solubilisation, and mobilisation of phosphate and potassium, phytohormones production, disease suppression, and stress protection. Understanding their characteristics, biological mechanisms of action, and the nutritional and physical requirements for growth is important for successfully formulating and applying PGPR as a biofertiliser. The selection of the right PGPR with the desired characteristics, the ability to adapt to the environment, and the ideal formulation of the biofertiliser are the main criteria that should be emphasised when determining the success of biofertiliser. Knowledge and awareness regarding the use, benefits, and production of PGPR as a potential biofertiliser are important and should be explored to fulfil the crop’s nutritional requirements more economically and sustainably.