The biotic and abiotic stresses are key constraints for food quality, crop yield and global food security. It is necessary to take action to cope with global threats caused by abiotic and biotic stresses such as a reduction in precipitation, increasing drought, salinity, improper temperature, heavy metals, nutrient deficiency and invasion of plants pathogenic microbes, which lead to the reduction of agricultural crops productivity. Plants are severely affected by these stresses and have impaired functioning. One of the strategies to cope with abiotic and biotic stresses is taking advantage of the potential of soil microbes, including plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR). The solution is completely environmentally compatible and has no negative effects on the environment. Effective PGPR have a substantial role in biotic and abiotic stresses management, reduce chemical fertilizers and increase the yield of plant cultivars by affecting elemental cycling and nutrient management. These beneficial bacteria can stimulate plant growth under abiotic and biotic stress conditions via mechanisms such as the production of phytohormones, ACC (1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate) deaminase, exopolysaccharides, siderophore, organic acids, nitrogen fixation, phosphate solubilization, various osmolytes, systemic resistance induction, etc. In this review, the role of the PGPR as a new strategy was investigated that may be responsible for the increase in crop productivity and eventually by effectively answering biotic and abiotic stresses leads to food security.

The impact of stress on crop productivity and the ecosystem have been magnified by climate changes and mispractices in the agriculture field. Soil microbiome is a diverse system consisting of various microorganisms. Environmental control techniques like the use of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are necessary to enhance crop productivity. AMF is known as stress regulating organisms that help plants within the nutrient uptake, biotic and abiotic stress management, plant protection, and consequently enhancement on crop yields. Also, host plants can tolerate many difficult situations such as water problems, salt stress, heavy metals, and temperature changes through AMF inoculation. Arbuscular mycorrhizae (AM) enhance plant growth under stress by mediating a series of complex contact events between the two symbiotic partners resulting in a good photosynthetic and gas exchange amelioration. Plants have several tolerance mechanisms to deal with the constraints of environmental changes. The antioxidant ability is the principal tolerance mechanism; it is assisted by osmolytes accumulation and exacting absorption of ions. In this review, we will discuss the effect of AMF colonization on the host plants at different stages of growth, with comprehensively updated knowledge, their roles, and applications for plant growth enhancement and mycorrhizae role on plant resistance induction and stress management.

Manganese (Mn) is essential for plant growth, as it serves as a cofactor for enzymes involved in photosynthesis, antioxidant synthesis, and defense against pathogens. It also plays a role in nutrient uptake, root growth, and soil microbial communities. However, the availability of Mn in the soil can be limited due to factors like soil pH, redox potential, organic matter content, and mineralogy. The excessive use of chemical fertilizers containing Mn can lead to negative consequences for soil and environmental health, such as soil and water pollution. Recent research highlights the significance of microbial interactions in enhancing Mn uptake in plants, offering a more environmentally friendly approach to address Mn deficiencies. Microbes employ various strategies, including pH reduction, organic acid production, and the promotion of root growth, to increase Mn bioavailability. They also produce siderophores, anti-pathogenic compounds, and form symbiotic relationships with plants, thereby facilitating Mn uptake, transport, and stimulating plant growth, while minimizing negative environmental impacts. This review explores the factors impacting the mobility of Mn in soil and plants, and highlights the problems caused by the scarcity of Mn in the soil and the use of chemical fertilizers, including the consequences. Furthermore, it investigates the potential of different soil microbes in addressing these challenges using environmentally friendly methods. This review suggests that microbial interactions could be a promising strategy for improving Mn uptake in plants, resulting in enhanced agricultural productivity and environmental sustainability. However, further research is needed to fully understand these interactions’ mechanisms and optimize their use in agricultural practices.

Advanced technologies are commonly used in modern agriculture to break the yield barriers and increase crop productivity. Seeds treated with plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) are an effective bio-priming method to introduce beneficial microbial inocula into the rhizosphere or soil. Bio-priming is a type of seed treatment that employs biological entities, which involves the hydration of seeds and inoculation with beneficial microorganisms. Mainly, the seed bio-priming technique improves the seed quality, germination, viability, vigor index, growth promotion, production, and subsequent disease resistance by enhancing the uniform speed of germination and production of others growth regulators. In the majority of cases, bacterial inoculants mostly PGPR are used for seed bio-priming, it is an ecologically comprehensive strategy that uses selected PGPR to promote plant growth by producing regulatory substances, enhancing uptake of nutrients, protecting seedlings/plants from seed or soil-borne pathogens. Bio-priming methods using PGPR inoculants are becoming more common in modern agriculture as an alternative to chemical treatments. They are more environmentally sustainable and safer for future agriculture apart from improving plants and soil health.

• Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and plant symbiosis. • Role AMF in root development and plant growth promotion. • AMF influence and plant response under strigolactone (SL) and SL-GR24 application. • Effects and functions of SL in root development and interaction with AMF.