Microbial Bioactives
Microbial Bioactives | Online ISSN 2209-2161
295
Citations
198.6k
Views
157
Articles
Volume 7 Number 1 2024
REVIEWS (Open Access)
Microbial Mutualisms for Sustainable Agriculture: Harnessing Plant Growth-Promoting Bacteria and Microalgae to Enhance Crop Productivity Under Abiotic Stress
S M Masud Parvez 1*, Zakaria Solaiman 2
Microbial Bioactives 7 (1) 1-8 https://doi.org/10.25163/microbbioacts.7110662
Submitted: 11 May 2024 Revised: 08 July 2024 Accepted: 15 July 2024 Published: 17 July 2024
Abstract
Plant growth–promoting bacteria (PGPB) have emerged as a promising biological alternative to conventional agrochemicals, offering pathways to enhance crop productivity while addressing the environmental costs of intensive fertilizer use. Growing concerns over soil degradation, nutrient inefficiency, and climate-driven stress have intensified interest in microbial-based solutions that work in harmony with plant physiological processes. This study synthesizes existing experimental evidence through a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the effects of PGPB inoculation on two critical agronomic outcomes: shoot length and grain yield. By quantitatively integrating data from controlled experiments, the analysis assesses both individual bacterial strains and multi-strain consortia, with particular attention to their performance under reduced fertilizer inputs. The meta-analytic results demonstrate that PGPB application consistently enhances shoot elongation, reflecting improved vegetative growth and early plant vigor. More importantly, significant gains in grain yield were observed across all treatments, with microbial consortia combined with reduced fertilizer rates producing the highest yield responses. These findings suggest that synergistic interactions among bacterial strains amplify functional traits such as nutrient solubilization, phytohormone production, and stress mitigation, ultimately translating into measurable productivity benefits. Funnel plot assessments further indicate acceptable internal consistency, though they also highlight the need for broader field-scale validation. Overall, the evidence supports the role of PGPB as integral components of sustainable cropping systems rather than supplementary inputs. By improving nutrient-use efficiency and maintaining yield stability with lower chemical dependence, PGPB-based strategies align with global efforts to promote resilient, environmentally responsible agriculture. This synthesis reinforces the potential of microbial inoculants to contribute meaningfully to future food security under changing climatic and ecological conditions.
Keywords: Plant growth–promoting bacteria; biofertilizers; grain yield; shoot length; sustainable agriculture; meta-analysis
References
Adesemoye, A. O., Torbert, H. A., & Kloepper, J. W. (2009). Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria allow reduced application rates of chemical fertilizers. Microbial Ecology, 58(4), 921–929. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00248-009-9531-y
Afridi, M. S., Amna, Sumaira, Mahmood, T., Salam, A., Mukhtar, T., Mehmood, S., Ali, J., Khatoon, Z., & Bibi, M. (2019). Induction of tolerance to salinity in wheat genotypes by plant growth promoting endophytes. Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, 139, 569–577. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.plaphy.2019.03.041
Amin, S. A., Green, D. H., Hart, M. C., Küpper, F. C., Sunda, W. G., & Carrano, C. J. (2009). Photolysis of iron–siderophore chelates promotes bacterial–algal mutualism. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 106(40), 17071–17076. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0905512106
Bronstein, J. L. (1994). Our current understanding of mutualism. The Quarterly Review of Biology, 69(1), 31–51. https://doi.org/10.1086/418432
Choix, F. J., de-Bashan, L. E., & Bashan, Y. (2012). Enhanced accumulation of starch in Chlorella spp. induced by Azospirillum brasilense. Enzyme and Microbial Technology, 51(5), 294–299. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enzmictec.2012.07.013
Croft, M. T., Lawrence, A. D., Raux-Deery, E., Warren, M. J., & Smith, A. G. (2005). Algae acquire vitamin B12 through a symbiotic relationship with bacteria. Nature, 438(7064), 90–93. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature04056
Doebeli, M., & Knowlton, N. (1998). The evolution of interspecific mutualisms. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 95(15), 8676–8680. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.95.15.8676
Egamberdiyeva, D. (2007). The effect of plant growth promoting bacteria on maize growth. Applied Soil Ecology, 36(2–3), 184–189. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apsoil.2007.02.005
Fabris, M., Abbriano, R. M., Pernice, M., et al. (2020). Emerging technologies in algal biotechnology. Frontiers in Plant Science, 11, 279. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2020.00279
González-González, L. M., & de-Bashan, L. E. (2021). Enhancement of microalgal metabolite production through consortia. Biology, 10(4), 282. https://doi.org/10.3390/biology10040282
Hayat, R., Ali, S., Amara, U., Khalid, R., & Ahmed, I. (2010). Soil beneficial bacteria and plant growth promotion. Annals of Microbiology, 60(4), 579–598. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13213-010-0117-1
Helliwell, K. E., Pandhal, J., Cooper, M. B., et al. (2018). Metabolic tradeoffs required for algal–bacterial mutualism. New Phytologist, 217(2), 599–612. https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.14832
Jiménez-Mejía, R., Medina-Estrada, R. I., Carballar-Hernández, S., et al. (2022). PGPB to ameliorate soil salinity stress. Microorganisms, 10(1), 150. https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms10010150
Khan, M. I., Shin, J. H., & Kim, J. D. (2018). The future of microalgae. Microbial Cell Factories, 17(1), 1–21. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12934-018-0879-x
Kouzuma, A., & Watanabe, K. (2015). Algae–bacteria interactions. Current Opinion in Biotechnology, 33, 125–129. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copbio.2015.02.007
Kumar, A., Singh, S., Gaurav, A. K., et al. (2020). PGPB and salinity stress mitigation. Frontiers in Microbiology, 11, 1216. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2020.01216
Lauersen, K. J. (2019). Microalgae for metabolic engineering. Planta, 249(1), 155–180. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00425-018-3048-x
Numan, M., Bashir, S., Khan, Y., et al. (2018). PGPB as an alternative strategy for salt tolerance. Microbiological Research, 209, 21–32. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.micres.2018.02.003
Orozco-Mosqueda, M. d. C., Glick, B. R., & Santoyo, G. (2020). ACC deaminase in PGPB. Microbiological Research, 235, 126439. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.micres.2020.126439
Page, M. J., McKenzie, J. E., Bossuyt, P. M., Boutron, I., Hoffmann, T. C., Mulrow, C. D., Shamseer, L., Tetzlaff, J. M., Akl, E. A., Brennan, S. E., Chou, R., Glanville, J., Grimshaw, J. M., Hróbjartsson, A., Lalu, M. M., Li, T., Loder, E. W., Mayo-Wilson, E., McDonald, S., … Moher, D. (2021). The PRISMA 2020 statement: An updated guideline for reporting systematic reviews. BMJ, 372, n71. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.n71
Penrose, D. M., & Glick, B. R. (2003). ACC deaminase-containing rhizobacteria. Physiologia Plantarum, 118(1), 10–15. https://doi.org/10.1034/j.1399-3054.2003.00080.x
Ramanan, R., Kim, B. H., Cho, D. H., et al. (2016). Algae–bacteria interactions. Biotechnology Advances, 34(1), 14–29. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biotechadv.2015.12.003
Santoyo, G., Urtis-Flores, C. A., Loeza-Lara, P. D., et al. (2021). Rhizosphere colonization by PGPR. Biology, 10(6), 475. https://doi.org/10.3390/biology10060475
Seymour, J. R., Amin, S. A., Raina, J.-B., & Stocker, R. (2017). The phycosphere. Nature Microbiology, 2(7), 17065. https://doi.org/10.1038/nmicrobiol.2017.65
Shaharoona, B., Naveed, M., Arshad, M., & Zahir, Z. A. (2008). Pseudomonads and wheat productivity. Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, 79(1), 147–155. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-008-1419-7
Shahid, S. A., Zaman, M., & Heng, L. (2018). Soil salinity overview. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-96190-3_2
Sheirdil, R. A., Hayat, R., Zhang, X.-X., et al. (2019). Soil bacteria for sustainable wheat production. Sustainability, 11(12), 3361. https://doi.org/10.3390/su11123361
Subashchandrabose, S. R., Ramakrishnan, B., Megharaj, M., et al. (2011). Cyanobacteria–bacteria consortia. Biotechnology Advances, 29(6), 896–907. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biotechadv.2011.07.009
Vessey, J. K. (2003). PGPR as biofertilizers. Plant and Soil, 255(2), 571–586. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1026037216893
Vuppaladadiyam, A. K., Prinsen, P., Raheem, A., et al. (2018). Microalgae cultivation and metabolites. Biofuels, Bioproducts and Biorefining, 12(2), 304–324. https://doi.org/10.1002/bbb.1864
Yao, S., Lyu, S., An, Y., et al. (2019). Microalgae–bacteria symbiosis. Journal of Applied Microbiology, 126(2), 359–368. https://doi.org/10.1111/jam.14095
Recommended articles
Marine Bacterial Carotenoid Pathways as a Reservoir of Functional Xanthophyll Biosynthesis: Enzymes, Diversity, and Engineering Insights
Marine Microbial Metabolites as Bioactive Reservoirs: A Systematic Synthesis of Biosynthetic Diversity and Functional Potential
Marine Cyanobacteria and Beneficial Microbes for Sustainable Agriculture and Bio-Applications: A Review
Article metrics
View details
0
Downloads
0
Citations
6
Views
0
Save
Save
0
Citation
Citation
6
View
View
0
Share
Share