Potential Use of Plant Growth-Promoting Bacteria to Enhance Growth and Soil Fertility in Marginal Areas: Focus on the Apulia Region, Italy

Abstract

Soil degradation is a global problem and refers to the reduction or loss of the biological and economic productive capacity of the soil resource. In Europe, the countries most affected by soil degradation are undoubtedly those of the Mediterranean basin. Among these, Italy shows clear signs of degradation, with different characteristics, especially in the southern regions, where climatic and meteorological conditions strongly contribute to it. Apulia, the Tavoliere plain in particular, is a fragile and very sensitive ecosystem due to its intrinsic characteristics and the level of anthropic exploitation. Agricultural production pays the highest price, as increasing desertification due to climate change and the loss of agricultural land severely limit the extent of land available to produce food for an ever-growing population. Plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) could be a low-cost and long-term solution to restore soil fertility, as they provide a wide range of benefits in agriculture, including increasing crop productivity, improving soil nutrient levels and inhibiting the growth of pathogens. This review shows how PGPB can be used to improve the quality of soils, their impact on agriculture, their tolerance to abiotic stresses (drought, salinity, heavy metals and organic pollutants) and their feasibility. The use of PGPB could be promoted as a green technology to be applied in marginal areas of Apulia to increase soil fertility, reduce pollution and mitigate the impacts of abiotic stresses and climate change. This is supported by a series of studies showing that the growth of plants inoculated with PGPB is superior to that of non-inoculated plants.