Halotolerant plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria improve soil fertility and plant salinity tolerance for sustainable agriculture—A review
Synan F. AbuQamar,
Mohamed T. El-Saadony,
Ahmed M. Saad,
El-Sayed M. Desoky,
Ahmed S. Elrys,
Taia A. Abd El-Mageed,
Wael M. Semida,
Abdelsattar Abdelkhalik,
Walid F.A. Mosa,
Samar Sami Al Kafaas,
Sana Naser,
Essam H. Ibrahim,
Fatima M.K. Alshamsi,
Betty T. Mathew,
Khaled A. El-Tarabily
Affiliations
Synan F. AbuQamar
Department of Biology, College of Science, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, 15551, United Arab Emirates; Corresponding author.
Mohamed T. El-Saadony
Department of Agricultural Microbiology, Faculty of Agriculture, Zagazig University, Zagazig, 44511, Egypt
Ahmed M. Saad
Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Agriculture, Zagazig University, Zagazig, 44511, Egypt
El-Sayed M. Desoky
Department of Botany, Faculty of Agriculture, Zagazig University, Zagazig, 44511, Egypt
Ahmed S. Elrys
Department of Soil Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Zagazig University, Zagazig, 44511, Egypt
Taia A. Abd El-Mageed
Department of Soils and Water, Faculty of Agriculture, Fayoum University, Fayoum, 63514, Egypt
Wael M. Semida
Department of Horticulture, Faculty of Agriculture, Fayoum University, Fayoum, 63514, Egypt
Abdelsattar Abdelkhalik
Department of Horticulture, Faculty of Agriculture, Fayoum University, Fayoum, 63514, Egypt
Walid F.A. Mosa
Department of Plant Production (Horticulture-Pomology), Faculty of Agriculture, Saba Basha, Alexandria University, Alexandria, 21531, Egypt
Samar Sami Al Kafaas
Molecular Cell Biology Unit, Division of Biochemistry, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Tanta University, Tanta, 31511, Egypt
Sana Naser
Department of Nutrition and Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, 15551, United Arab Emirates
Essam H. Ibrahim
Biology Department, Faculty of Science, King Khalid University, Abha, 61413, Saudi Arabia; Blood Products Quality Control and Research Department, National Organization for Research and Control of Biologicals, Cairo, Egypt
Fatima M.K. Alshamsi
Department of Biology, College of Science, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, 15551, United Arab Emirates
Betty T. Mathew
Department of Biology, College of Science, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, 15551, United Arab Emirates
Khaled A. El-Tarabily
Department of Biology, College of Science, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, 15551, United Arab Emirates; Corresponding author.
Due to climate change, expansion of salt-affected arable lands has emerged as a major threat to global food security and agricultural sustainability. Conventional crop breeding programs have proven insufficient for mitigating the risks of salt stress in soil and crop productivity. Research on improving soil health and crop tolerance to boost yield performance under salt stress by plant-associated microbiomes has gained considerable attention over the past few decades. In addition to the rehabilitation of salt-degraded soils, halotolerant plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (HT-PGPR) are effective in stimulating growth, improving nutritional values and yields, and increasing tolerance/resistance to abiotic/biotic stress conditions of plants. To alleviate salinity stress, HT-PGPR employ a wide range of mechanisms, including production of secondary metabolites and siderophores, synthesis of phytohormones and enzymes, maintenance of ion homeostasis, and increasing nutrient availability in crop plants. Because our goal is to continuously improve our understanding of HT-PGPR and their impact on agriculture, the current review addresses the challenges associated with salinity, and updates the scientific community with effective solutions (e.g., HT-PGPR) for sustainable agriculture and farming practices.