Schematic representation of the steps required to isolate and characterize bacteria that promote plant growth.

Schematic representation of the steps required to isolate and characterize bacteria that promote plant growth.

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Rhizosheric bacteria with several abilities related to plant growth and health have been denominated Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPR). PGPR promote plant growth through several modes of action, be it directly or indirectly. The benefits provided by these bacteria can include increased nutrient availability, phytohormone production, shoot...

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... would result in a greater comprehension of their sustainable production potential and practicability. Figure 1 shows a schematic representation of the steps required to isolate and characterize bacteria that promote plant growth. Figure 2 shows a schematic representation comparing uninoculated and inoculated plants with bacterial endophytes and several abilities related to crop growth promotion and Figure 3 shows the modes of application of PGPR. ...

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... Pseudomonas produced the greatest amount of IAA (at all tryptophan concentrations, 50--500 µg/ml). On Muller-Hinton medium, antagonistic activity was examined against Aspergillus, Fusarium and Rhizoctonia bataticola, and the results revealed that Azotobacter (isolates AZT (3), AZT (13) and AZT (23)) as well as Pseudomonas (Ps (5)) and Bacillus (B (1)) antagonistized Aspergillus, Fusarium, and Rhizoctonia bataticola (de Andrade et al., 2023). The effects of isolated PGPR on the root and shoot length, seed germination, and chlorophyll content of spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) were studied by Chowdhury et al. (2016). ...
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Global agriculture currently suffers from pollution caused by the widespread use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. These agrochemicals, when consumed in food, can harm human health (e.g. increasing risks of cancer and thyroiddisorders)and damage the environment by reducing soil fertility, among other effects. Thus, there is a high demand for biological agents, such as microorganisms, that could partially or fully replace these agrochemicals.Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) are promising in this regard, as they can enhance plant growth and productivity sustainably.These bacteria promote plant growth and development through both direct and indirect mechanisms. Directly, PGPR increase plant growth by making phosphorus, nitrogen, and other essential minerals more available to plants, as well as by regulating plant hormone levels. Indirectly, PGPR inhibit pathogenic microbes that otherwise hinder plant growth and development, for instance, through the production of siderophores.In addition, PGPR show synergistic and antagonistic interactions with microorganisms within the rhizosphere and beyond in bulk soil, which indirectly boosts plant growth rate.Studies indicate that PGPR can improve plant health and yield across a variety of plant species, under both favourable and challenging conditions. As a result, PGPR have the potential to reduce the global reliance on harmful agricultural chemicals that disrupt environmental health. Additionally, the demand for PGPR as biofertilizers and biopesticides is growing globally, further highlighting their potential as powerful alternatives in sustainable agriculture.Numerous bacteria act as PGPRs, which have been described in the literature as effective in enhancing plant growth. In order to improve the efficacy of PGPRs, it is important to study their characteristics and mode of application since there isa gap between their mode of action (mechanism) for plant growth and their role as biofertilizers
... These genera are commonly isolated from the rhizosphere of plants in arid and semi-arid soils [34][35][36]; they are well known as halotolerant PGPR [10,[36][37][38] and our observations are in line with these earlier reports. PGPR play a vital role in stimulating plant growth and development in several ways [39][40][41][42]. In the present study, 66 isolates were assessed for the following PGP traits, including ACCD activity, IAA production, P-solubilization, N-fixation, and NH 3 production. ...
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Halotolerant, plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) are known to alleviate plant growth under abiotic stresses, especially those isolated from saline arid soils. In this study, 66 bacterial isolates, obtained from various habitats in Saudi Arabia, were characterized for their plant growth-promoting (PGP) traits, and screened for heat and salt stress resilience. Finally, selected halotolerant PGPR strains were assessed for their potential to improve maize (Zea mays L.) growth under salinity stress using in vitro assays. Our results indicated that many isolates possessed key PGP traits such ACC deaminase, N-fixation, and phytohormone production. Additionally, several isolates were able to tolerate high temperatures, and 20 bacterial isolates were classified as halotolerant. Furthermore, among the isolates, Pseudomonas soyae (R600), Bacillus haynesii (SFO145), Salinicola halophilus (SFO075), and Staphylococcus petrasii (SFO132) significantly enhanced various maize growth parameters under salt stress conditions when compared to uninoculated plants. These halotolerant PGPR are good candidates to be explored as bioinoculants for sustainable agriculture under saline arid soil conditions.
... Similarly, strain Ch8 exhibits P solubilization and siderophore production capabilities, enhance the availability of essential nutrients such as P and Fe in the soil, thereby promoting plant growth (Hakim et al. 2021;Bargaz et al. 2021). Moreover, microorganisms can facilitate the dissolution of insoluble silicates in the soil by secreting organic acids, further improving nutrients absorption by plants (De Andrade et al. 2023). Taken together, these findings suggest that strain Ch8 could promotes Chuanxiong growth, especially in Chuanxiong rhizomes. ...
... The increase of NO 3 --N and NH 4 + -N in the soil of the Ch8 group could not only provide a direct source of N for Chuanxiong but also promote N recycling through the action of microorganisms. As reported, LMWOAs can dissolve insoluble minerals in the soil, such as insoluble silicates (Si), and increase availability of essential nutrients like K and Si (De Andrade et al. 2023). Our study showed that the strain Ch8 had a high ability to secrete LMWOAs (Tables S1). ...
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... PGPR employ a variety of mechanisms to promote plant growth, primarily through enhanced nutrient acquisition and modulation of plant hormone signaling, thereby mitigating stress perception. Nutrient availability is increased through processes such as nitrogen fixation [7][8][9], solubilization of inorganic phosphate [10], and the production of high-affinity iron-chelating molecules known as siderophores [11,12]. Furthermore, PGPR can influence root architecture, improving water and nutrient uptake [13] by stimulating root elongation and lateral root development [14][15][16][17][18][19]. ...
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Water scarcity can negatively affect crop yield, posing a significant threat to global food security, such as drought. Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), either as single strains or synthetic communities (SynComs), has shown promise in alleviating drought stress in various plant species. In this study, we examined the effects of water limitation on Salvia officinalis and the potential of a SynCom composed of five phosphate-solubilizing, auxin-producing, and/or nitrogen-fixing Gram-negative bacteria to enhance plant growth and drought tolerance. Plant growth, morphology, physiology, and leaf metabolomic profiles were assessed using a combination of physiological measurements and LC-MS untargeted metabolomics. Mild water stress induced a conservative water-use strategy in S. officinalis, characterized by increased root-to-shoot ratio and altered leaf morphology, without compromising photosynthetic performance. SynCom inoculation under well-watered conditions elicited drought-like responses, including transient reductions in stomatal conductance. Leaf metabolomic analysis revealed that inoculation influenced the abundance of several metabolites, including biogenic amines and dipeptides, under both irrigation regimes. Notably, drought stress and SynCom inoculation increased histamine and α-ketoglutaric acid levels, highlighting potential impacts on food quality. Under reduced irrigation, inoculation further modulated leaf morphology and biomass allocation, promoting thicker leaves and increased root biomass allocation. These results demonstrate the ability of the SynCom to modulate plant physiology and metabolism in response to both optimal and reduced irrigation, potentially enhancing drought resilience without directly improving growth. The study also highlights the complex interactions among microbial inoculation, plant stress responses, and leaf metabolite profiles, emphasizing the importance of considering the effects on the production of bioactive compounds when developing microbial inoculants for edible plants.
... Microbial consortia made up of many synergistic species may be used to increase efficacy and avoid resistance in place of single strain of PGPR's. By combining PGPR's with nitrogen-fixing bacteria, mycorrhizal fungi, or biocontrol fungi, a more robust microbial ecology may be produced, lowering the likelihood of resistance [182]. Beneficial features in PGPR's strains may be made more stable by genetic engineering. ...
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The hap hazardous and inappropriate application of pesticides and their deposition in the soil lowers agricultural productivity and increases disease tolerance to these pesticides. The pesticide treatment at recommended and higher dosages causes a severe reduction in the numbers of nitrogen-fixing, phosphate, and zinc-solubilizing microbial communities. The uptake of pesticides by plants adversely affects the growth and productivity of crops, electron transport reactions of chloroplasts, and reduction in antioxidant defense enzymes. These are elements that agronomists find quite disturbing in intensive cropping systems under changing climatic conditions. Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPR) in the rhizosphere degrades the pesticide and uses it as a nutrient source for their growth. They are capable of producing different types of growth-enhancing bio-active molecules, including plant-hormones such as auxins, cytokinins, gibberellins, etc. PGPR are known to solubilize insoluble phosphate and zinc, indirectly enhancing plants' growth and expansion by synthesizing siderophore production. These numerous PGPR’s activities enhance the soil's fertility, soil health, and functioning, which either directly or indirectly gain plant growth in normal and pesticide-stressful conditions. Since pesticides have disastrous effects on plants and rhizosphere biology, there is a growing interest in a variety of stress-resilient PGPR’s. Their subsequent use in contemporary agriculture for pesticides breakdown highlights the need of promoting pesticide stress tolerance. The functions of soil-dwelling PGPR’s in reducing pesticide stress, the supply of nutrients (nitrogen fixation and phosphorus solubilization), the generation of phytohormones, and the variables that may significantly impact their efficacy. The role of pesticide-tolerating PGPR’s and the molecular pathways underlying the rhizobacteria's development of pesticide tolerance needs more investigations. Therefore, this analysis fills the void and provides an overview of PGPR's as a bio-fertilizer for agricultural sustainability under agro-chemicals stressed condition. Giving a better understanding how PGPR’s tolerates and degrade agro-chemicals reduces environmental pollution brought on by overuse of pesticides increasing plant nutrient availability by means of phosphate and zinc solubilization, indole acetic acid production and etc. This review primarily focuses on the significance and necessity of pesticide-tolerant PGPR’s for environmentally responsible and sustainable practices in our farming systems, particularly in pesticide-stressed conditions that will likely worsen soon due to the pesticides' residual effects. Therefore, fostering plant well-being and offering a sustainable substitute for artificial fertilizers.
... Abiotic stress factors, such as salinity, drought, extreme temperature, heavy metals, and waterlogging, have become more frequent and severe because of global climate change, resulting in reduced crop growth and productivity [1,2]. According to estimates, abiotic stress is responsible for the loss of more than 50% of agricultural yields, and salt stress alone results in a 1-2% annual loss in arable land [3,4]. ...
... Environmentally friendly strategies, such as applying plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPRs), are essential for tackling such stressful conditions and enhancing crop yields in the future [2]. Various direct and indirect processes have shown that PGPRs develop symbiotic relationships with plants and support plant growth under stressful conditions [10]. ...
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Beneficial microbes enhance plant growth and development, even under stressful conditions. Serratia fonticola (S1T1) and Pseudomonas koreensis (S4T10) are two multi-trait plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPRs) that are resistant to saline conditions. This study evaluated the synergistic effect of these PGPRs on mitigating salinity stress (200 mM) in Cucumis sativus. Presently, the synergistic effect of both strains enhances the plant growth-promoting attributes of cucumber, and the growth parameters were significantly higher than those of uninoculated plants. The PGPR-treated plants revealed a significantly higher biomass and improved chlorophyll content. The inoculation of S1T1 and S4T10 and the synergistic effect of both promoted 23, 24, and 28% increases, respectively, in the fresh biomass and 16, 19.8, and 24% increases, respectively, in the dry biomass. Similarly, S1T1 and S4T10 and their synergistic effects led to 16.5, 28.4, and 38% increases, respectively, in the water potential and 18, 22, and 28% decreases, respectively, in abscisic acid (ABA). A reduction in the electrolytic leakage (EL) was additional proof of successful PGPR activities. Similarly, a decrease in the antioxidant levels, including those of malondialdehyde (21–30%), hydrogen peroxide (19–38%), and superoxide anions (24–34%), was observed, alongside an increase in antioxidant enzymes such as catalase (22–29%) and superoxide dismutase (17–27%). Additionally, the synergistic inoculation of the PGPRs enhanced the NaCl stress tolerance by upregulating the expression of the ion transporter genes HKT1 (1–2-fold), NHX (1–3-fold), and SOS1 (2–4-fold). Conclusively, the synergistic effect of the multi-trait PGPRs significantly enhances C. sativus L. growth under salt stress.
... Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) are known for their ability to enhance the nutritional status of plants through diverse mechanisms. These mechanisms include direct nutrient provision (Fürnkranz et al., 2008;Moreau et al., 2019), the conversion of recalcitrant nutrients into forms that are available to plants (Lorenzi et al., 2022;Raymond et al., 2021;Kumawat et al., 2021;de Andrade et al., 2023), and the enhancement of nutrient uptake efficiency. The latter is achieved through increased root length (Mantelin et al., 2006;Apine and Jadhav, 2011;Ferreira Rêgo et al., 2014;Marín et al., 2021) and enhanced lateral root development (Mantelin et al., 2006;Vanegas and Uribe-Vélez, 2014;Azizi et al., 2022). ...
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Introduction Soil microbiome transplantation is a promising technique for enhancing plant holobiont response to abiotic and biotic stresses. However, the rapid assessment of microbiome-plant functional integration in short-term experiments remains a challenge. Methods This study investigates the potential of three evergreen sclerophyll species, Pistacia lentiscus (PL), Rosmarinus officinalis (RO), and Juniperus phoenicea (JP), to serve as a reservoir for microbial communities able to confer enhanced tolerance to drought in Salvia officinalis cultivated under water shortage, by analyzing biomass production, plant phenotype, plant ecophysiological responses, and leaf metabolome. Results Our results showed that the inoculation with the three rhizomicrobiomes did not enhance total plant biomass, while it significantly influenced plant architecture, ecophysiology, and metabolic responses. The inoculation with the JP rhizomicrobiome led to a significant increase in root biomass, resulting in smaller leaves and a higher leaf number. These morphological changes suggest improved water acquisition and thermoregulation strategies. Furthermore, distinct stomatal conductance patterns were observed in plants inoculated with microbiomes from PJ and PL, indicating altered responses to drought stress. The metabolome analysis demonstrated that rhizomicrobiome transplantation significantly influenced the leaf metabolome of S. officinalis. All three rhizomicrobiomes promoted the accumulation of phenolic compounds, terpenoids, and alkaloids, known to play crucial roles in plant defense and stress response. Five molecules (genkwanin, beta-ionone, sumatrol, beta-peltatin-A-methyl ester, and cinnamoyl-beta-D-glucoside) were commonly accumulated in leaves of inoculated sage, independently of the microbiome. Furthermore, unique metabolic alterations were observed depending on the specific inoculated rhizomicrobiome, highlighting the specialized nature of plant-microbe interactions and the possible use of these specific molecules as biomarkers to monitor the recruitment of beneficial microorganisms. Discussion This study provides compelling evidence that microbiome transplantation can induce phenotypic and metabolic changes in recipient plants, potentially enhancing their resilience to water scarcity. Our findings emphasize the importance of considering multiple factors, including biomass, physiology, and metabolomics, when evaluating the effectiveness of microbiome engineering for improving plant stress tolerance.
... In recent years, PGPR have gain attention of many researchers as it can help the plant for soil nutrient acquisition as well as stress tolerance. PGPR have proven potential to improving the plant growth under controlled and field environmental conditions [10,45,57]. PGPR strains with multiple plant growth promoting (PGP) activities of phosphate solubilization, siderophore production, indole-3-acetic acid (IAA)-like auxins production and 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC)deaminase activity are more effective than single PGP trait. ...
... Our isolates also exhibited siderophore production ranging from 2 to 83%. Rhizobacteria control plant pathogens in an iron limited conditions through secretion of siderophores [10]. Species of Burkholderia, Enterobacter and Pseudomonas isolated from Assam tea estates also exhibited the siderophore production which ranges between 32-39% units [11]. ...
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This is the first report of widespread and stress-tolerant PGPR from the tea rhizosphere of the Kangra valley. A total of 493 rhizobacteria were isolated from the major tea-growing regions of the Kangra valley. Molecular fingerprinting of 160 distinct morphotypes using ARDRA and ERIC techniques revealed intergenic and intragenic variability, resulting in the identification of 52 rRNA and 56 ERIC types belonging to 21 distantly related genera, identified by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Bacillus constituted more than half of the genotypes, followed by Pseudomonas, Burkholderia, Lysinibacillus, Citrobacter, Enterobacter, and Paenibacillus. Bacillus altitudinis, B. cereus, B. megaterium, B. subtilis subsp. inaquosorum, B. methylotropicus, Pseudomonas frederiksbergensis, P. mohnii, and P. moreiii were found to be the most common in the tea rhizosphere across various locations. Quantitative assaying of 42 selected strains revealed significant variations in PGP activities ranging from 55–624 µg/ml for tri-calcium phosphate (TCP) solubilization, 4–3145 nM α-ketobutyrate h/mg/protein ACC-deaminase activity, 2–85 µg/ml IAA-like auxins production, and 2–83% siderophore production. Nine out of 42 PGPR also solubilized aluminium phosphate (Al-P) and iron phosphate (Fe–P). These efficient PGPR are suitable for application in tea soils, which are generally low in available phosphorus, a growth-limiting factor for tea cultivation. Five highly efficient PGPR also showed robust growth under different abiotic stresses under controlled conditions. Inoculum application of 5 efficient and abiotic stress tolerant PGPR showed a significant increment of 1.8–9.4%, 12–16.2%,18.1–30.3% and 21.4–39.2% in plant height, leaf number, fresh and dry weight of tea seedlings under the nursery conditions with 50% reduced NPK concentrations after one year of inoculations, respectively. These selected PGPR genotypes with multifarious PGP activities and natural ability to occur widely can be useful in developing plant microbial inoculants for improving tea productivity.
... Rhizobacteria are soil-resident bacteria that inhabit plant roots and significantly influence their growth and health (de Andrade et al., 2023). Rhizobacteria are considered effective alternatives to chemical pesticides and fertilizers because of their ability to address several issues and constraints linked to these traditional approaches (de Andrade et al., 2023). ...
... Rhizobacteria are soil-resident bacteria that inhabit plant roots and significantly influence their growth and health (de Andrade et al., 2023). Rhizobacteria are considered effective alternatives to chemical pesticides and fertilizers because of their ability to address several issues and constraints linked to these traditional approaches (de Andrade et al., 2023). Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) playing an essential role in the Iraq's agricultural sector and dietary practices, according to FAOSTAT (2024), its annual production has attained 630,180 tons. ...
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Background: Rhizobacteria are essential for plant health by offering natural antagonism to soil-borne fungi. Rhizobacteria are regarded as an alternative to chemical agents for the integrated control of plant diseases and for enhancing yield in an ecologically sustainable way. Nonetheless, there is a limited comprehension of the precise processes via which rhizobacteria suppress these diseases and the variety of rhizobacterial species implicated. Methods: Through experiments conducted in 2022-2024,the efficiency of 12 rhizobacterial isolates of Alloiococcus otitis BRE6, Aneurinibacillus thermoaerophilus SDV1, Aeribacillus pallidus ECC4, A. thermoaerophilus ECL1, Bacillus megaterium SKE2, Staphylococcus lentus BZD2, Enterobacter cloacae complex BZD3, B. megaterium TNK1, Leclercia adecarboxylata DKS3, B. halotolerans DMC8, B. subtilis NAS1 and Paenibacillus polymyxa TRS4, in controlling soilborne pathogenic fungi of Rhizoctonia solani, Macrophomina phaseolina and Pythium aphanidermatum, the causal agents of tomato root rot disease was evaluated under greenhouse conditions and plant growth parameters were evaluated. Result: The results indicated that the combination treatment of 12 rhizobacterial isolates (COR12) achieved the highest germination rate of tomato seeds in the presence of pathogenic fungi, reaching 100% and the lowest rate of disease incidence and severity, reached 5% and 1%, respectively, compared to the positive control treatment, which reached 82% and 53%, respectively. Representing control disease value of 98% compared to the single bacteria treatments. The COR12 treatment achieved a significant increase in the growth parameters represented by plant height and fresh and dry weight of the shoot and root system in the presence of pathogenic fungi compared to the individual bacterial treatments.
... Location L1, known for its high bacterial density, indicates soils rich in organic matter conducive to bacterial growth, facilitating rapid nutrient cycling and robust plant growth [40]. Studies such as de Andrade et al. [41] highlight that high bacterial populations signi cantly enhance nutrient availability, which is essential for crop growth. On the contrary, Location L2 displays lower bacterial and fungal counts, suggesting a more bacterial-skewed ecosystem that may require precise management to maximize crop yields, as suggested by [42]. ...
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Background and Aims: This study examines the impact of soil biological parameters on agricultural productivity and sustainability across Nigeria's diverse climates. Materials and Methods: A multistage sampling method was adopted to collect 108 soil samples from four southern and northern Nigeria locations, three communities, and three farmers' fields and replicated three times in a Complete Randomized Block Design (RCBD). Each sample was analyzed for initial physicochemical and some selected microbial properties. Results: In the humid southern regions, microbial activity was high in Location 1 (L1), with bacterial densities reaching 12.31 x 10 ⁷ CFU/ml and associated fungal and yeast densities at 1.55 x 10 ⁶ SFU/ml and 5.08 counts, respectively. This indicates a bacterial-dominated ecosystem favourable for rapid nutrient cycling, although it may risk soil structure over the long term if unmanaged. Conversely, Location 3 (L3) in the drier northern areas showed less bacterial activity at 9.83 x 10 ⁷ CFU/ml but higher fungal and yeast populations. This suggests a more diverse microbial environment that could enhance nutrient cycling and soil structure, which is essential in arid regions. The study also investigated how environmental factors and farming practices influence microbial balances through hierarchical clustering analysis. Clusters like L3C1F2 and L3C2F3 demonstrated balanced microbial ecosystems with substantial fungal and yeast populations, supporting robust soil health. Conclusion: This research highlights the need for precise, region-specific agricultural practices that accommodate local microbial profiles to optimize crop yields and sustain soil health, enhancing food security and economic stability in Nigeria.