Role of Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPR) as BioFertilizers in Stabilizing Agricultural Ecosystems

The document from 2016 reviews the benefits of using Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPR) as biofertilizers in agriculture. It outlines the negative impacts of synthetic fertilizers and presents PGPR as a sustainable alternative that can enhance soil fertility and promote plant growth. PGPR can fix atmospheric nitrogen, which reduces the need for synthetic nitrogen fertilizers, and they can also improve nutrient uptake, synthesize phytohormones, and induce systemic resistance against pathogens. The review notes that PGPR can modify the microbial balance in the rhizosphere, suppress harmful microorganisms, and assist in bioremediation. It also mentions the potential for PGPR to work synergistically with other microorganisms like Rhizobium and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi to further increase crop yields, especially in less fertile soils. Despite challenges such as application difficulties and environmental susceptibility, the use of PGPR is expected to rise globally due to their role in hormonal regulation, nutrient acquisition, and biocontrol of pathogens, contributing to the stabilization of agricultural ecosystems.