Actinomycetes: A Promising Tool for Plant Growth Promotion and Disease Control

Abstract

Plant growth promotion and biol. control without deteriorating the environment and soil for sustainable agriculture has necessitated the exploration for microbial resources to replace the agrochems. and fertilizers. Bacteria and fungi are widely distributed in the biosphere including the rhizosphere and help the plants by alleviating biotic and abiotic stress through diverse mechanisms and can be developed as bioinoculants for biocontrol and plant growth promoting activities. Actinomycetes are one of the most abundant group of soil microorganisms and well known for their antibiotics production to control the microorganisms. They are well studied for their role in biol. control of plant pathogens, interactions with plants and plant growth promotion. This review briefly summarizes the effects of actinomycetes on biocontrol, plant growth promotion and association with plants as endophytes.