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The Science Behind Plant Growth Regulators: How Microbes Can Revolutionize Farming

The global population is steadily increasing, resulting in a growing demand for food. By 2050, we may need nearly twice as much food as we produce today to sustain the global population (1). To meet this growing demand, we must boost food production using sustainable and efficient agricultural practices. As the demand for higher food production grows, modern agriculture has come to rely heavily on synthetic fertilizers to boost crop yields. Synthetic fertilizers help crops grow, but excessive use can lead to soil degradation, water pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, and potential health risks from chemical residues. 

 

Microbes provide a natural and effective alternative to synthetic fertilizers, with the potential to revolutionize agriculture by enhancing soil health and minimizing environmental impact. These microbes act as natural plant growth regulators by promoting healthy plant development, improving soil fertility, and reducing reliance on chemical fertilizers. For example, nitrogen-fixing bacteria like Rhizobium and Azotobacter, phosphate-solubilizing bacteria such as Bacillus, and mycorrhizal fungi enhance nutrient and water uptake, further boosting plant growth. 


In this blog, we will be discussing:


By harnessing the power of these microbes, we can move toward more eco-friendly farming practices that support long-term agricultural productivity and environmental health.



Plant Growth-Promoting Microbes 

 

Plant growth-promoting microbes help crops grow more efficiently by providing them with additional nutrients, promoting root development, and reducing the need for chemical fertilizers. They facilitate plant development through various direct and indirect mechanisms.  

Direct mechanisms refer to microbial activities involved in the synthesis of growth-promoting compounds or in enhancing the availability and uptake of nutrients from the environment by plants. For example, biological nitrogen fixation, phosphate solubilization, potassium solubilization, and phytohormone synthesis, such as auxin, gibberellins, and cytokinin. Indirect mechanism involves synthesis of various compounds, such as antibiotics, siderophores, hydrolytic and cell wall-damaging enzymes which help protect plants and support plant health.   


Plant growth-promoting microbes can be classified into two categories: 


1. Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria:

Plant growth-promoting bacteria are a diverse group of soil bacteria that colonize the rhizosphere and promote plant growth either directly by facilitating nutrient acquisition or indirectly by protecting plants from pathogens. Rhizobium, Pseudomonas, Azotobacter, and Azospirillum, as well as Bacillus spp., are examples of plant growth-promoting microbes. (2,3) 


2. Plant Growth-Promoting Fungi:

These are beneficial fungi that enhance plant growth and development through both direct and indirect mechanisms. Many of these fungi form symbiotic relationships with plant roots, most notably in the form of mycorrhizae, which significantly improve nutrient and water uptake, particularly of phosphorus and micronutrients. Examples of these Fungi are Trichoderma, Penicillium, Aspergillus, etc. (3)


Fig. 1: Important mechanisms of microbes to enhance growth and productivity of crops.  

Plant growth-promoting microbes

Role of Plant Growth-Promoting Microbes in Sustainable Agriculture  

 

Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) are a key group of beneficial microbes that colonize the plant rhizosphere, the narrow region of soil influenced by root secretions. These bacteria play a crucial role in promoting plant growth by facilitating the uptake of essential nutrients and minerals, suppressing the development of plant pathogens, and enhancing plant resilience. PGPR enhances plant resistance to a wide range of biotic stresses, such as diseases and pests, and improves their tolerance to abiotic stresses, including drought, salinity, and extreme temperatures (4). 


Fig. 2: Role of Plant Growth-Promoting Microbes in Crop Plants  


Role of Plant Growth-Promoting Microbes in Crop Plants 

How Microbes Influence Plant Growth  


1. Enhancing Nutrient Uptake:

Microbes play a vital role in improving nutrient uptake in plants, significantly contributing to their growth and development. For instance, nitrogen-fixing bacteria such as Rhizobium and Azotobacter convert atmospheric nitrogen into a form that is plant-available, enabling efficient nitrogen absorption by its roots. Similarly, phosphate- and potash-solubilizing bacteria, such as Bacillus and Pseudomonas, break down complex forms of phosphorus and potassium in the soil, making these essential nutrients readily available to plants. Microbes enhance the availability of crucial nutrients, enabling plants to absorb them more

efficiently through their roots and support healthy growth.  


2. Production of Plant Hormones:

The ability to produce plant hormones is a key trait of plant growth-promoting microbes. These microbes synthesize plant hormones, including Indole–3–acetic acid (IAA), gibberellins (GA), cytokinin, and ethylene, which play crucial roles in regulating plant growth and development.  


3. Induce Stress Tolerance in Plants:

Microbes help plants develop tolerance to various abiotic stresses, including salinity, drought, extreme temperatures, and nutrient deficiencies. Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), in particular, enhance plant responses to these environmental stresses by stimulating a range of physical, chemical, and biological processes (4). Through mechanisms such as stress-related gene regulation, antioxidant production, and improved nutrient uptake, PGPR plays a crucial role in strengthening plant resilience under adverse conditions.  


4. Improving Plant Productivity: 

Introducing beneficial microbes to plants and the Rhizosphere, the soil region surrounding plant roots, significantly enhances plant productivity. Inoculating crops with these microorganisms provides multiple benefits, including improved root development, strengthened immune responses, and increased overall yield. (7) 


Fig. 3: Rhizosphere modification improves plant productivity. 

Rhizosphere modification improves plant productivity

 

 

5. Systemic Resistance in Plants: 

Plant growth-promoting microbes (PGPMs) enhance plant health not only by improving nutrient uptake and growth but also by inducing resistance against pathogens. These microbes protect plants by releasing various compounds, such as antibiotics, or by inducing resistance in plants. Plant growth-promoting Rhizobacteria stimulate plant defense system against pathogen attack in two ways: 

 

A. Induced Systemic Resistance (ISR) 

Induced Systemic Resistance (ISR) is a defense response triggered by a particular group of plant growth-promoting microbes, such as PGPRs, that enhance plant resistance to a variety of pathogens through the production of extracellular metabolites. 

 

 

B. Systemic Acquired Resistance (SAR)  

Systemic Acquired Resistance (SAR) is a plant defense mechanism that provides long-lasting protection against a wide range of pathogens. SAR triggers a pathogen attack, which activates the plant's immune system and leads to the expression of pathogenesis-related (PR) genes (4). 

 

  

Nurture Growth Biofertilizer  

 

Nurture Growth Biofertilizer benefits

Nurture Growth Biofertilizer is an advanced microbial solution formulated with a diverse blend of beneficial microorganisms that promote healthy plant growth. It contains nitrogen-fixing bacteria such as Azotobacter and Rhizobium, which convert atmospheric nitrogen into forms that plants can readily absorb. For phosphorus solubilization, strains such as Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus pumilus help break down complex phosphorus compounds in the soil, making this essential nutrient more accessible to plants.  It also has Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF), which forms a symbiotic association with the roots of most terrestrial plants. These fungi play a crucial role in enhancing plant nutrition by promoting root growth, improving soil structure, and promoting overall plant health.  


Other plant-growth-promoting microbes, such as Saccharomyces and Trichoderma, a crucial biocontrol agent, are present in this product. These microbes have a vast impact on plants and soil, which helps plants grow healthy, more resistant, and sustainable by increasing crop productivity and maintaining soil health. Together, these microbes enhance soil fertility and support sustainable, high-yield agriculture.  

 

Conclusion  


To meet the rising global demand for food, it is essential to enhance crop production while conserving natural resources sustainably. Integrating beneficial microbes into farming practices supports sustainable agriculture by enhancing crop health and boosting production. Agriculture represents a complex and dynamic interaction between plants and a diverse community of microorganisms (5). 

 

Beneficial agricultural microbes play a central role in integrated management strategies, contributing to nutrient availability, pest and disease suppression, and enhanced plant growth while minimizing reliance on chemical inputs (6). Among these microorganisms, plant growth-promoting microbes play a vital role in sustainable agriculture by enhancing nutrient availability and uptake, producing plant growth-regulating hormones, and improving plant resilience to various stresses. By harnessing the benefits of these beneficial microbes, we can transition toward an agricultural system that is both productive and environmentally sustainable.  

 

Webinar:



Our Senior Science Officer Dr. Ankita Garkoti will share her knowledge on how microbes can enhance soil health, promote plant growth, and increase crop yields. Don't miss out on this opportunity to improve your farming practices. RSVP below!

Nurture Growth Biofertilizer webinar on How Microbes and Growth Regulators adre shaping the future of farming


Blogger Biography: 


Dr. Ankita Garkoti

Dr. Ankita Garkoti is a Senior Science Officer at Nurture Growth Bio Fertilizer. She has over 9 years of experience in Agriculture research and extension. Her areas of specialization encompass Plant Pathology, Microbiology, Plant Protection, Organic farming, Biofertilizers, Organic Fertilizers, and Biocontrol agents.     

  

She holds a Ph.D. in Plant Pathology and a master's degree in Botany with a specialization in Plant Pathology. Her doctoral research involved an in-depth study of lentil wilt and its management through various practices. She has extensive experience in organizing training programs on Organic and Natural farming techniques for farmers, agricultural growers, students and other stakeholders.  

  

References:  


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