Molecular and physiological manipulations in rhizospheric bacteria.

The plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) has multifarious benefits to serve sustainable agriculture. Different consortia of microbes are currently being in use to increase yield of different commercial crops including wheat, canola, lettuce, tomato, banana, maize, chickpea and brinjal. Introduction of PGPR strains can help restore the soil health and prevent the ill effects of fertilizers. However, complete replacement of chemical fertilizers need engineered microbes with enhanced PGPR potential. Researchers are working seamlessly to engineer microbes with augmented indole acetic acid production, disease resistance, chitinases activity, nitrogen fixation and phosphorus solubilisation potential. Advances in gene editing tools and omics technologies have eased the process of gene manipulation in bacteria allowing non-PGPR strains to work as PGPR inoculants in rhizosphere. In this review, we have discussed microbe-based rhizospheric engineering approaches for the manipulation of different gene of interest for improving the PGPR potential of PGPR and non-PGPR strains. This review is fundamental in providing first-hand information on different success stories of genetic manipulations of PGPR strains done in recent years and provides understanding of the process in shaping future rhizosphere microbiome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]