Chapter 8 - Streptomyces in Plant Growth Promotion: Mechanisms and Role

Abstract

Plant growth-promoting Streptomyces are the gram positive bacteria inhabiting the soil and root surface. Streptomyces are widely recognized for their production of an array of compounds. These groups of organisms have beneficial associations with plants where they have improved plant growth and protected against pests, which has attracted the attention of researchers worldwide. Generally, plant growth-promoting organisms facilitate the plant growth directly by either assisting improved nutrition acquisition (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and essential minerals) or phytohormone production (indole acetic acid, cytokinins, gibberellins, etc.), or suppression of plant disease. Various studies have documented the increased health and productivity of different plant species by the application of Streptomyces group under both normal and stressed conditions. This book chapter emphasizes the insight of the mechanisms of Streptomyces mediated plant growth promotion in detail with the latest development and research.