Abstract
Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) are the bacterial strains that are associated with the rhizospheric part of plants and are known to positively influence plant growth. These microorganisms induce plant growth promotion directly through production of phytohormones, solubilization of phosphates, biological fixation of nitrogen, inhibition of ethylene biosynthesis, and indirectly by imparting resistance to combat pathogenic attacks by the production of secondary metabolites such as antibiotics, siderophores, and many enzymes, and also by inducing tolerance to abiotic stress conditions. PGPR are especially used as bioinoculants due to their role in increasing crop production. PGPR are influenced, inter alia, by plant genotype, environmental conditions (both biotic and abiotic), and various biotic interactions (plant-microbe interactions and microbe-microbe interactions) taking place in the rhizosphere. Besides, agricultural activities, including use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and soil tillage, also have substantial influence not only on the PGPR population but also on physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of soil. In view of their profound growth-promoting characteristics and ever-increasing demand for adoption of ecologically compatible and eco-friendly practices in agriculture, PGPR could be an important tool in sustainable agriculture and can be safely relied upon for increasing productivity. It is in this backdrop, an attempt has been made in the present chapter to emphasize the importance of rhizobacteriain the promotion of plant development and sustainable agriculture.
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