Abstract
Environmental stress is a major challenge for sustainable food production as it reduces yield by generating reactive oxygen species (ROS) which pose a threat to cell organelles and biomolecules such as proteins, DNA, enzymes, and others, leading to apoptosis. Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) offers an eco-friendly and green alternative to synthetic agrochemicals and conventional agricultural practices in accomplishing sustainable agriculture by boosting growth and stress tolerance in plants. PGPR inhabit the rhizosphere of soil and exhibit positive interaction with plant roots. These organisms render multifaceted benefits to plants by several mechanisms such as the release of phytohormones, nitrogen fixation, solubilization of mineral phosphates, siderophore production for iron sequestration, protection against various pathogens, and stress. PGPR has the potential to curb the adverse effects of various stresses such as salinity, drought, heavy metals, floods, and other stresses on plants by inducing the production of antioxidant enzymes such as catalase, peroxidase, and superoxide dismutase. Genetically engineered PGPR strains play significant roles to alleviate the abiotic stress to improve crop productivity. Thus, the present review will focus on the impact of PGPR on stress resistance, plant growth promotion, and induction of antioxidant systems in plants.
Highlights
Indiscriminate use of agrochemicals led to deterioration of soils’ biotic communities, widespread environmental contamination by agrochemical residues, and significant negative impacts on public health [1,2], while combustion of fossil fuels and emissions of greenhouse gases are accelerating global climate changes [3]
This review demonstrates the physiological, biochemical, and molecular mechanisms of salt-tolerant plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (STPGPR) as emerging biological tools to counterbalance the harmful effects of high salt concentrations [37]
The demand of food production is increasing as the human population is growing under climate change and a limited base of farmland
Summary
Indiscriminate use of agrochemicals led to deterioration of soils’ biotic communities, widespread environmental contamination by agrochemical residues, and significant negative impacts on public health [1,2], while combustion of fossil fuels and emissions of greenhouse gases are accelerating global climate changes [3]. Within the rhizo-microbiome, a few soil bacteria called plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) colonize the surface of the root system and stimulate the growth and health of the plant by antagonistic and synergistic interactions [7,18,19,20]. Their diversity remains potent with a recurrent shift in community structure and species abundance. The present review will attempt to shed more light on the mechanisms demonstrated by PGPR to enhance plant growth and its role in combating various types of abiotic stress to develop strategies for imminent agricultural sustainability. The review article will delve into the triggers for PGPR colonization, molecular mechanisms, and the impact of PGPR on plant gene expression to elucidate some of the mechanisms by which PGPR enhances plant growth
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