Application of microbial synthesized phytohormones in the management of environmental impacts on soils

Abstract

With the world's population growing at an exponential rate, pollution of the ecosystem by heavy metals from anthropogenic activities poses a major threat to agricultural and food security worldwide. Phytohormones are biochemical signal molecules that alter plant responses to different biotic and abiotic stresses. Exogenous use of microbially produced phytohormone in heavy metal remediation and stress tolerance induction, has gained popularity due to its environmental friendliness and sustainability. Microbially produced phytohormones have huge biotechnological potentials and have been exploited in phytoremediation assisted removal of heavy metals, and inducing stress tolerance to plants. This paper exhaustively discusses the remedial roles of microbial phytohormones in heavy metal removal and enhancing plant tolerance to stress. However, the exact mechanism of action and the genetic interplay during the process need to be further studied to better understand the specific key pathways involved in the process.