Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPR): A Credible Tool for Sustainable Agriculture

Modern agricultural practices rely on the excessive use of chemical fertilizers to increase crop yields to meet the growing population's demand. It has exploited the inherent biological potential of soil and plant systems. Sustainable agricultural practices focus on equal attention to soil and plant health. Plant growthpromoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) serve the plants by combating abiotic and biotic stressors in the environment. These microorganisms aid plants in multiple ways by colonizing the plant roots. They work effectively as biofertilizers and as biocontrol agents and help in fostering plant growth through either direct (potassium and phosphorous solubilization, siderophore production, nitrogen fixation) or indirect (production of VOCs, antibiotics, lytic enzymes) mechanisms. To upgrade their application to agro-ecosystems, modern technologies are being worked out. These aim at improving the efficacy of PGPR and uplifting agricultural sustainability. Therefore, in this book chapter, the role and mechanism of PGPR as soil health boosters and plant growth enhancers were discussed. Further, it sheds light on recent developments made to strongly present PGPR as a potent candidate for green agriculture.

Keywords: Biofertilizer, Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), Green agriculture, Crop yield, Biocontrol agents.