Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria--alleviators of abiotic stresses in soil: A review

With the continuous increase in human population,there is widespread usage of chemical fertilizers that are responsible for introducing abiotic stresses in agricultural crop lands.Abiotic stresses are major constraints for crop yield and global food security and therefore require an immediate response.The implementation of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria(PGPR)into the agricultural production system can be a profitable alternative because of its efficiency in plant growth regulation and abiotic stress management.These bacteria have the potential to promote plant growth and to aid in the management of plant diseases and abiotic stresses in the soil through production of bacterial phytohormones and associated metabolites as well as through significant root morphological changes.These changes result in improved plant-water relations and nutritional status in plants and stimulate plants’defensive mechanisms to overcome unfavorable environmental conditions.Here,we describe the significance of plant-microbe interactions,highlighting the role of PGPR,bacterial phytohormones,and bacterial metabolites in relieving abiotic environmental stress in soil.Further research is necessary to gather in-depth knowledge on PGPR-associated mechanisms and plant-microbe interactions in order to pave a way for field-scale application of beneficial rhizobacteria,with the aim of building a healthy and sustainable agricultural system.Therefore,this review aims to emphasize the role of PGPR in growth promotion and management of abiotic soil stress with the goal of developing an eco-friendly and cost-effective strategy for future agricultural sustainability.     

Beneficial elements for agricultural crops and their functional relevance in defence against stresses

The beneficial elements are not deemed essential for all crops but may be vital for particular plant taxa. The distinction between beneficial and essential is often difficult in the case of some trace elements. Elements such as aluminium (Al), cobalt (Co), sodium (Na), selenium (Se) and silicon (Si) are considered beneficial for plants. These elements are not critical for all plants but may improve plant growth and yield. Pertinently, beneficial elements reportedly enhance resistance to abiotic stresses (drought, salinity, high temperature, cold, UV stress, and nutrient toxicity or deficiency) and biotic stresses (pathogens and herbivores) at their low levels. However, the essential-to-lethal range for these elements is somewhat narrow. The effect of beneficial elements at low levels deserves more attention with regard to using them to fertilize crops to boost crop production under stress and to enhance plant nutritional value as a feed or food. A more holistic approach to plant nutrition would not only be restricted to nutrients essential to survival but would also include mineral elements at levels beneficial for best growth. Here, we describe the uptake mechanisms of various beneficial elements, their favourable aspects, and the role of these elements in conferring tolerance against abiotic and biotic stresses.     

一氧化氮在植物发育及植物–微生物互作中的作用机制研究进展

一氧化氮 (NO) 作为高活性信号分子,是调控植物生长发育的关键因子。NO可提高植物对非生物胁迫及生物胁迫的抗性,增强植物的免疫能力。最新的研究表明,NO在植物根系与微生物的互作过程中发挥着重要作用,NO能够促进植物根系与根瘤菌及丛枝菌根真菌形成共生体,从而提高植物对土壤氮磷养分的获取。NO作为信号物质调控植物对生物胁迫和非生物胁迫抗性的主要机制有:1) NO与活性氧系统互作,调节活性氧的水平,缓解氧化应激反应对植物的伤害;2) NO通过蛋白质的翻译后修饰,对植物免疫及抗逆过程进行调节;3) NO与多种植物激素互作,参与激素对植物生长发育的调节过程。而且NO可促进共生体的形成及发育相关基因表达,抑制免疫基因表达,通过NO与植物球蛋白 (phytoglobin) 的循环维持共生体的氧化还原水平及能量状态,从而促进植物–微生物共生关系。以往关于NO的研究主要集中在前3个方面,有关NO在植物–微生物互作中的作用机制的研究较少,NO参与植物–微生物互作机制的研究亟待加强。揭示NO增强植物抗逆性及其调节根系发育的机制,深入探究NO调控植物–微生物互作的机理,对于提高集约化作物生产体系中养分利用效率和作物生产力具有重要的理论与实践意义。     

Beneficial effects of silicon on abiotic stress tolerance in legumes

Soil salinity, drought, metal toxicity, and ultraviolet-B radiation were major abiotic stresses that limit plant growth and productivity by disrupting the plants' cellular ionic and osmotic balance; legumes, a diverse plant family, suffered from these abiotic stresses. Although silicon (Si) is generally considered non-essential for plant growth and development, Si uptake by plants could facilitate plant growth by reducing biotic and abiotic stresses. There is however, a lack of systematic study on Si uptake benefits and mechanism on legumes because legumes reject Si uptake. Here, we reviewed the beneficial role of Si in enhancing abiotic stress tolerance in legumes and highlighted the mechanisms through which Si could improve abiotic stress tolerance in legumes. Future research needs for Si mediated alleviation of abiotic stresses in legumes are also discussed.     

The Role of Nutrient Efficient Plants in Improving Crop Yields in the Twenty First Century

In the 21st century, nutrient efficient plants will play a major role in increasing crop yields compared to the 20th century, mainly due to limited land and water resources available for crop production, higher cost of inorganic fertilizer inputs, declining trends in crop yields globally, and increasing environmental concerns. Furthermore, at least 60% of the world's arable lands have mineral deficiencies or elemental toxicity problems, and on such soils fertilizers and lime amendments are essential for achieving improved crop yields. Fertilizer inputs are increasing cost of production of farmers, and there is a major concern for environmental pollution due to excess fertilizer inputs. Higher demands for food and fiber by increasing world populations further enhance the importance of nutrient efficient cultivars that are also higher producers. Nutrient efficient plants are defined as those plants, which produce higher yields per unit of nutrient, applied or absorbed than other plants (standards) under similar agroecological conditions. During the last three decades, much research has been conducted to identify and/or breed nutrient efficient plant species or genotypes/cultivars within species and to further understand the mechanisms of nutrient efficiency in crop plants. However, success in releasing nutrient efficient cultivars has been limited. The main reasons for limited success are that the genetics of plant responses to nutrients and plant interactions with environmental variables are not well understood. Complexity of genes involved in nutrient use efficiency for macro and micronutrients and limited collaborative efforts between breeders, soil scientists, physiologists, and agronomists to evaluate nutrient efficiency issues on a holistic basis have hampered progress in this area. Hence, during the 21st century agricultural scientists have tremendous challenges, as well as opportunities, to develop nutrient efficient crop plants and to develop best management practices that increase the plant efficiency for utilization of applied fertilizers. During the 20th century, breeding for nutritional traits has been proposed as a strategy to improve the efficiency of fertilizer use or to obtain higher yields in low input agricultural systems. This strategy should continue to receive top priority during the 21st century for developing nutrient efficient crop genotypes. This paper over views the importance of nutrient efficient plants in increasing crop yields in modern agriculture. Further, definitions and available methods of calculating nutrient use efficiency, mechanisms for nutrient uptake and use efficiency, role of crops in nutrient use efficiency under biotic and abiotic stresses and breeding strategies to improve nutrient use efficiency in crop plants have been discussed.     

Effects of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria on the molecular responses of maize under drought and heat stresses: A review

Drought and heat are major environmental stresses that continually influence plant growth and development. Under field conditions, these stresses occur more frequently in combination than alone, which magnifies corresponding detrimental effects on the growth and productivity of agriculturally important crops. Plant responses to such abiotic stresses are quite complex and manifested in a range of developmental, molecular, and physiological modifications that lead either to stress sensitivity or tolerance/resistance. Maize (Zea mays L.) is known for its sensitivity to abiotic stresses, which often results in substantial loss in crop productivity. Bioaugmentation with plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) has the potential to mitigate the adverse effects of drought and heat stresses on plants. Hence, this is considered a promising and eco-friendly strategy to ensure sustainable and long-term maize production under adverse climatic conditions. These microorganisms possess various plant growth-promoting (PGP) characteristics that can induce drought and heat tolerance in maize plants by directly or indirectly influencing molecular, metabolic, and physiological stress responses of plants. This review aims to assess the current knowledge regarding the ability of PGPR to induce drought and heat stress tolerance in maize plants. Furthermore, the drought and heat stress-induced expression of drought and heat stress response genes for this crop is discussed with the mechanisms through which PGPR alter maize stress response gene expression.     

Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria: strategies to improve abiotic stresses under sustainable agriculture

The abiotic stresses like drought, heavy metal and salts directly or indirectly influence the global environmental pollution and decrease the agricultural productivity. The stress tolerant plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) play an important role against the abiotic stresses in terms of enhancing the efficacy of soil, plant growth promotion (PGP). Stress tolerance PGPRs have certain specific PGP properties such as hormones synthesis, 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC) deaminase, Indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) production, Abscisic acid (ABA) synthesis, enzymes production, nitrogen fixation, phosphorus (P) and Potassium (K) solubilization, as results which protect various crops during such stress conditions and consequently enhance crop sustainability. Efficient PGPRs isolated from various stress conditions have certainly, more useful against that particular stress. This article highlighted the isolation of various stresses tolerant PGPRs from varieties of crops under different stress conditions and their effect on varieties of crops to enhance their plant growth promotion.     

褪黑素调控根系生长和根际互作的机制研究进展

【目的】根系生长和根际互作是影响植物对土壤养分吸收的关键因子。根系在土壤中穿插生长,不断改变其形态可塑性,进而改变根系构型,扩大与土壤的接触面积以获取所需养分。同时根系的生理可塑性协同根系形态可塑性显著影响根际互作效应,为植物经济高效获取养分资源提供可能。探究褪黑素等内源生长调节因子对根系形态和生理可塑性的调控机制,揭示通过最大化根际效应强化根际互作的有效途径,对集约化作物体系提高养分利用效率,促进绿色增产增效,具有重要的理论与实践意义。主要进展褪黑素作为新型植物生长调节信号分子,在盐害、干旱和低温等非生物胁迫中具有增强植物抗逆性、改善植物生长等重要调节作用。褪黑素显著改变根系生长,对植物主根生长主要表现为抑制作用,对侧根及不定根的发育和生长具有浓度依赖性调节,从而深刻影响植物根系构型。褪黑素调控根系生长的机制尚不清楚,总结已有进展表明:一方面褪黑素调节光周期,影响光合产物的运输和糖信号,从而调控地下部碳分配和根系生长;另一方面,褪黑素还能与生长素等植物激素互作,参与激素对植物生长调控的信号通路,从而对植物的生长发育和新陈代谢产生影响。这些进展对深入揭示褪黑素调控根系生长发育的机制提供了重要依据。问题与展望根系的生长发育以及根系构型的改变显著影响根际过程和根际互作,褪黑素作为调控因子在不同养分环境条件下显著影响根系的形态可塑性。然而,褪黑素在根际过程和根际互作中的作用机制并不清楚,有关研究亟待加强。深入探究褪黑素参与根际互作的机制,理解褪黑素调控根系生长和根际过程的作用途径,可为集约化农业体系下精准调控作物根系生长,强化根际互作,提高养分利用效率提供科学依据。     

Role of methylotrophic bacteria in managing abiotic stresses for enhancing agricultural production

Abiotic stresses are a significant factor that considerably limits plant growth and productivity. Methylotrophs are an essential group of bacteria that utilize volatile carbon compounds, are prolific colonizers of different plant parts, and play a vital role in plant growth promotion(PGP) under stress conditions.Numerous rhizospheric and phyllosphere methylotrophs have been reported to exhibit PGP activities with superior stress-tolerating capacity against drought,heavy metal, salinity, high and...     

植物非生物逆境相关锌指蛋白基因的研究进展

植物能够适应多种逆境主要是通过改变其基因表达和代谢途径来实现的,因此研究这些基因表达和功能对提高植物耐逆性具有重要意义。锌指蛋白是一类具有手指状结构域的转录因子,这种结构域由锌离子与多个半胱氨酸和(或)组氨酸组成,锌离子在稳定其结构和发挥调控功能方面具有关键作用。植物锌指蛋白在植物耐逆性方面具有重要作用。本文综述了近几年来从拟南芥(Arabidopsis thaliana)、水稻(Oryza sativa)、小麦(Triticum aestivum)、番茄(Solanum lycopersicum)等植物中克隆的与非生物逆境相关锌指蛋白基因的研究成果,重点阐述了其基因表达部位、受逆境诱导情况及转基因植株的耐逆性等。目前的研究结果表明锌指蛋白能够调控耐逆相关基因的表达,在植物逆境代谢中发挥重要作用,因此可以利用锌指蛋白基因进行作物耐逆性的遗传改良,提高作物的耐逆能力。     

Potential of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria-plant interactions in mitigating salt stress for sustainable agriculture: A review

Soil salinization affecting different crops is one of the serious threats to global food security.Soil salinity affects 20%and 33%of the total cultivated and irrigated agricultural lands,respectively,and has been reported to caused a global crop production loss of 27.3 billion USD.The conventional approaches,such as using salt-tolerant varieties,saline soil scrapping,flushing,leaching,and adding supplements (e.g.,gypsum and lime),often fail to alleviate stress.In this context,developing diverse arrays of microbes enhancing crop productivity under saline soil conditions without harming soil health is necessary.Various advanced omics approaches have enabled gaining new insights into the structure and metabolic functions of plant-associated beneficial microbes.Various genera of salt-tolerating rhizobacteria ameliorating biotic and abiotic stresses have been isolated from different legumes,cereals,vegetables,and oil seeds under extreme alkaline and saline soil conditions.Rapid progress in rhizosphere microbiome research has revived the belief that plants may be more benefited from their association with interacting diverse microbial communities as compared with individual members in a community.In the last decade,several salt-tolerating plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) that improve crop production under salt stress have been exploited for the reclamation of saline agrosystems.This review highlights that the interaction of salt-tolerating microbes with plants improves crop productivity under salinity stress along with potential salt tolerance mechanisms involved and will open new avenues for capitalizing on cultivable diverse microbial communities to strengthen plant salt tolerance and,thus,to refine agricultural practices and production under saline conditions.     

SUNFLO, a model to simulate genotype-specific performance of the sunflower crop in contrasting environments

Yield improvement certainly depends on breeding new genotypes, but also on identifying the best genotype for a given location and crop management system. Hence we need to quickly evaluate the performance of each new variety in different cropping systems and environmental conditions.Our objective was to develop a model (SUNFLO) which can help to improve genotypic assessment in the sunflower crop. The present work aimed at identifying, quantifying and modelling the phenotypic variability of crop performance in response to the main abiotic stresses occurring in the field (light, temperature, water, nitrogen) but also in the expression of genotypic variability.We therefore include just enough genetic information to enable the model to be used with new genotypes. Each genotype was thus defined by chosen phenotypic traits which were transcribed into a set of 12 genotype-specific parameters.The model's performance was evaluated in both specific field experiments and generic multi-environment trials (MET). The first evaluation assessed model robustness: no variables had a large prediction error, indicating that the final output error results more from poor prediction for all variables than from error compensation. An ANOVA on the simulated MET dataset showed that although the model simulates less variability than in reality (60%), there was genotype-environment interaction and the ranking of the ANOVA factors was identical in both observed and simulated networks. The model's accuracy was sufficient to discriminate between genotypes from different breeding periods, but was similar to the difference in performance between actual genotypes (∼0.2 t ha⁻¹).To improve the understanding of crop physiology and crop-environment interactions, this kind of model shows weaknesses, especially when dealing with environmental stress integration or biomass allocation. On the other hand, SUNFLO seems sufficiently robust to estimate the influence on yield of breeding traits or to explore new management practices.     

盐渍土磷有效性研究进展与展望

盐渍土大约占据全球土地面积的3％，是具有重要战略意义的后备土地资源。然而，盐胁迫不仅降低土壤水的渗透势、产生离子毒害作用，而且抑制植物营养的均衡吸收，对植物大量营养元素磷（P）的影响尤为严重，使其有效性大大降低，严重影响作物产量。因此，尽管有效磷缺乏是各土壤类型广泛存在的问题，但盐渍土中磷有效性低的问题更加突出。且盐分和有效磷缺乏是两种主要的非生物胁迫，尤其对于钙质土壤，植物经常同时暴露在这两种胁迫下，但现阶段关于盐分与磷素的作用效应没有清晰地界定和系统的总结。因此，本文开展以下研究：首先汇总了盐分降低磷有效性的作用机制，其后综述了盐分与磷素的相互、综合、交互作用效应，最后总结了目前盐渍土磷有效性的提升策略并对其研究前景进行展望，以期为未来盐渍土非生物胁迫的减轻、磷元素的优化管理提供理论支持。     

植物褪黑素功能及其作用机制的研究进展

褪黑素是一种重要的植物生长调节剂，在植物中具有多种功效。鉴于褪黑素在植物中的多种功能作用，为了给褪黑素在农业生产中的应用提供理论依据，通过查阅并梳理相关文献，阐述了植物中褪黑素的合成及代谢途径，褪黑素对植物生长发育的调控及对植物响应逆境胁迫的影响和褪黑素诱导作用的机制。褪黑素不仅参与植物种子萌发、根系发育、开花结果等生长发育过程，还能充当胁迫缓解剂，调节植物对多种生物胁迫/非生物胁迫的响应，且用外源褪黑素处理能够有效地缓解低温、干旱、盐碱以及病虫害等对植物的损伤程度，今后的研究应将盆栽试验与田间试验结合起来，以加速褪黑素在农业中的广泛应用。     

非生物胁迫下硅素营养对植物的作用及其机理

硅是对植物生长有益的一种营养元素,能提高作物的产量,改善作物品质。目前有文献报道,硅还可以提高植物对非生物胁迫的抵抗能力。综述了国内外有关硅素营养在减轻铝、锰、盐分、重金属对植物毒害中的作用及机理方面的研究。     

根际微生物群落介导植物磷胁迫应答与免疫调控的整合机制

植物与土壤微生物的长期互作过程中,逐渐演化形成了植物-微生物相互适应的协同调控机制。植物种类和根系分泌物可以影响根际微生物的群落结构,而根际微生物群落反过来也可以影响植物对土壤环境中生物和非生物胁迫的响应。植物磷饥饿(耐低磷)响应机制和抗病(免疫)机制研究在农业生产上都具有十分重要的意义。近年来的研究表明,植物根际微生物可以介导植物对营养物质识别(饥饿响应)和病原防御系统(免疫)分子机制的整合调控。本文综述了本领域研究的最新进展,详细解析了植物体内磷胁迫调控与免疫调控两个重要网络在根际微生物群落影响下发生的整合调控,探讨了植物体内分子应答与根际生态的互作机制,对开展作物耐低磷及抗病机制的研究和应用都具有重要意义。     

Yield Physiology of Dry Bean

Dry bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is an important food legume for the world population. However, its average yield is low worldwide. The main reasons for low yield are biotic and abiotic stresses. Maximum economic yield of a crop can be achieved with appropriate balance between plant and environmental factors during crop growth cycle. Adopting appropriate management practices in favor of high yields can modify some of these factors. Hence, knowledge of yield physiology of dry bean is important for understanding yield formation components during crop growth and development and consequently improving yield. Dry bean growth cycle is divided into vegetative and reproductive growth stages. During vegetative stage, development of roots, trifoliate, node, and branches take place. Main features of reproductive growth stage are flowering, pod and grain formation. Important plant traits associated with yield are root and shoot dry matter yield, pod number, 100 grain weight, leaf area index, grain harvest index, and nitrogen harvest index. These plant traits are genetically controlled and also influenced by soil and plant management practices. Higher yield is possible only when there is an adequate balance among various physiological processes or yield components. The objective of this review is to discuss growth and development of bean plant including yield formation process or traits during crop growth cycle and importance of these yield components in determining yield.     

Microalgal bioinoculants for sustainable agriculture and their interactions with soil biotic and abiotic components: A review

Modern agricultural practices have posed a detrimental impact on the environment due to their intensive use to meet the food demands of an ever-increasing population. In this context, microalgal bioinoculants, specifically cyanobacteria and green microalgae, have emerged as sustainable options for agricultural practices to improve soil organic carbon, nutrient availability, microbial quality, and plant productivity. An overview of current and future perspectives on the use of microalgal bioinoculants in agriculture practices is presented in this review, along with a discussion of their interactions with soil biotic and abiotic factors that affect soil fertility, plant health, and crop productivity. The benefits of microalgal bioinoculants include releasing agronomically important metabolites (exopolymers and phytohormones) as well as solubilizing soil nutrients. Furthermore, they function as biocontrol agents against soil-borne pathogens and facilitate the establishment of rhizosphere communities of agricultural importance. So far, very few studies have explored the basic mechanisms by which microalgal bioinoculants interact with soil biotic and abiotic factors. In recent years, advanced molecular techniques have contributed to a better understanding of these interactions.     

A review of plant disease, pathogen interactions and microbial antagonism under conservation tillage in temperate humid agriculture

The advent of conservation tillage presents a need for a greater understanding of plant disease and disease interactions in temperate humid agriculture, where excessive crop residues, continuous moist soil conditions and soil compaction are potential constraints. In this review, biotic and abiotic factors, and aspects of microbial antagonism, which can influence plant disease development in the root zone, are characterized in the context of conservation tillage in humid climates.Soil densification and reduction in macroporosity can aggravate abiotic root disease. Changes in soil aeration and permeability status can alter the quantitative and qualitative differences between soil rhizofloral populations, and survival and distribution of pathogen inoculum. Further-more, anaerobic soil conditions can result in root-pathogen interactions leading to plant disease development. A good quality soil physical environment is an important indicator for root health under conservation tillage in humid climates.Conservation tillage tends to concentrate plant debris and consequently microbial biomass in the top 5 to 15 cm of soil, and thus promotes survival of pathogens. However, disease-causing microbes make up only a proportion of the rhizofloral population. Relatively high soil microbial activity can lead to competition effects that may ameliorate pathogen activity and survival, and counteract a high pathogen inoculum pressure. Microbial antagonism in the root zone can lead to the formation of disease-suppressive soils. This phenomenon, which is important for the adoption of conservation tillage in humid climates, can be influenced by soil and crop management practices, especially crop rotation.     

逆境胁迫下的农业管理中土壤-植物-微生物相互作用研究进展

The expected rise in temperature and decreased precipitation owing to climate change and unabated anthropogenic activities add complexity and uncertainty to agro-industry.The impact of soil nutrient imbalance,mismanaged use of chemicals,high temperature,flood or drought,soil salinity,and heavy metal pollutions,with regard to food security,is increasingly being explored worldwide.This review describes the role of soil-plant-microbe interactions along with organic manure in solving stressed agriculture problems.Beneficial microbes associated with plants are known to stimulate plant growth and enhance plant resistance to biotic (diseases) and abiotic (salinity,drought,pollutions,etc.) stresses.The plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) and mycorrhizae,a key component of soil microbiota,could play vital roles in the maintenance of plant fitness and soil health under stressed environments.The application of organic manure as a soil conditioner to stressed soils along with suitable microbial strains could further enhance the plant-microbe associations and increase the crop yield.A combination of plant,stress-tolerant microbe,and organic amendment represents the tripartite association to offer a favourable environment to the proliferation of beneficial rhizosphere microbes that in turn enhance the plant growth performance in disturbed agro-ecosystem.Agriculture land use patterns with the proper exploitation of plant-microbe associations,with compatible beneficial microbial agents,could be one of the most effective strategies in the management of the concerned agriculture lands owing to climate change resilience.However,the association of such microbes with plants for stressed agriculture management still needs to be explored in greater depth.