PGPR: Current vogue in sustainable crop production

Abstract

Nowadays a large scale of crop produce are pesticide ridden. Heavy application of these hazardous pesticides is not only very costly which leaves financial burden to the farmers but is also harmful to our biodiversity leading to loss of various endangered living species. However, growers are being trained worldwide, and they are progressively switching over their agriculture from chemical or conventional agriculture to organic or sustainable agriculture. Sustainable agriculture reveals crop cultivation with "no chemicals." But organically cultivated produce are mirage due to their exorbitant prices, at least for the urban dwellers. To resolve this conundrum, the role of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) has been discussed in the process of plant growth promotion, with their mechanisms and their importance in crop production on sustainable basis. The application of PGPR strain is conducive and creates thrust toward organic farming at every level of farmers, whether it be large landowner or small-scale farmers. However, PGPR strain performance varies from lab to field and even from field to field due to host specificity. Besides, some strains of PGPR have the potential to promote growth of a particular plant, while in another plant they do not respond. There are various ways that promote plant growth such as N2 fixation, P solubilization, siderophore production, phytohormone production, and also the control of phytoparasitic pathogens. In addition to the beneficial role, some important aspects of negativity inducted by the PGPR have also been discussed. Sustainable agriculture, if done in the light of PGPR module, will not only remove the financial burden of the farmers but also prove to be conducive, congenial, and putative. Further studies to commercialize the potent strain of PGPR are stridently needed which will unravel certain yet to be explored mechanisms.