PUTTING PLANT GROWTH-PROMOTING MICROBES IN ACTION EFFECTIVE WAY TO MITIGATE SALINITY STRESS IN PLANTS: REVIEW AND FUTURE PERSPECTIVE.

Salinity stress is the most pernicious abiotic stress negatively affecting crop productivity around the globe. Soil salinity is significantly decreasing the agricultural lands every year which is posing serious food security threats. The global population is rapidly increasing and it demands the use of every soil for crop production. Salt stress negatively affects plant growth and development by inducing ionic, osmotic, and oxidative stress and it also negatively affects soil biological properties and microbial activities. Using microbial-based techniques is considered an effective, and environmentally friendly way to mitigate stress effects and improve crop production. The application of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) is an imperious way to improve plant productivity and reclaim salt-affected soils. The use of PGPR can reduce the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), facilitate nutrient uptake, and regulate gene expression, osmolyte, and hormone synthesis which helps mitigate deleterious impacts of salinity. Besides this, PGPR also improves antioxidant activities, and they produce organic acids, and siderophores which help to counter ROS production. Thus, in the present review, we discussed the different mechanisms of PGPR in modulating plant growth under saline conditions. We also identified different research gaps that must be abridged in future studies. This review will provide better insights into the present knowledge and will help to improve crop production in saline soils using PGRP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]