Role of plant growth promoting rhizobia strains in agriculture for sustainable crop yield (A Review)

Abstract

One of the challenges of globalization to developing countries is how to increase agricultural production that will take care of the rapid increase in population.This can be achieved by the use of plant growth promoting rhizobium (PGPR) which are various species of beneficial microorganisms grown in the rhizosphere, participating in nutrient cycling and the production of plant growth promoting substances. Some of the PGPR are considered biofertilizer due to their biofertilization potential. Some biofertilizing-PGPRs produce phytohormones such as indole aceticacid, gibberellins and cytokinins that cause an increase in plant foliage, root elongation, and fruit yield. It increases crop yield and nutrient availability, low cost, prevent plant pests and diseases, stimulate plant growth, bio remediation, increase resistance to water stress, mitigate or reduce greenhouse gas emission, land sustainability and improve soil quality. It is currently use in developing countries as a biofertilizer to substitute chemical fertilizer which is unsustainable, causing soil degradation, environmental pollution, high cost, and energy expensive, causing serious health hazards, reduce biodiversity, leaching, acidification and denitrification. This paper is therefore, intends to review the role of plant growth promoting rhizobia strains as biofertilizer for sustainable crop yield.