Rice is one of the most important cereals, as it feeds over half of the world's
population. Rice production is limited by different abiotic stresses, which would
probably worsen with climate change. Also, we must expect a rapid increase in food
demand. Therefore, there is an urgent need for innovative agricultural technologies able
to increase cereal amounts without increasing arable lands. The inoculation of plant
growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) from paddy soil can improve plant response to
abiotic stresses; however, the mechanisms involved in such protective response are
largely unknown. The current chapter comprehensively analyses and presents the state-of-the-art inoculation of selected PGPB aiming to improve rice tolerance to abiotic
stress conditions. Different plant responses at the molecular, biochemical,
physiological, and agronomical levels will also be appraised. This summary can
stimulate the producers to inoculate rice plants, contributing to rice production in
abiotic stress-impacted regions.
Keywords: Cold, Drought, Heat, Heavy metal, Inoculation, Nutrient starvation, Rhizobacteria, Rice, Salinity, Tolerance.
