The increasing need for sustainable agricultural practices, combined with the demand for enhanced crop productivity, has led to a growing interest in utilizing microorganisms for biocontrol of diseases and pests, as well as for growth promotion. In Brazilian agriculture, the use of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) and plant growth-promoting fungi (PGPF) has become increasingly prevalent, with a corresponding rise in the number of registered microbial inoculants each year. PGPR and PGPF occupy diverse niches within the rhizosphere, playing a crucial role in soil nutrient cycling and influencing a wide range of plant physiological processes. This review examines the primary mechanisms employed by these microbial agents to promote growth, as well as the strategy of co-inoculation to enhance product efficacy. Furthermore, we provide a comprehensive analysis of the microbial inoculants currently available in Brazil, detailing the microorganisms accessible for major crops, and discuss the market’s prospects for the research and development of novel products in light of current challenges faced in the coming years.

Fluopsin C (FlpC) is an organocupric secondary metabolite with low-molecular-weight, produced by some Pseudomonas and Streptomyces bacteria. The compound was identified in 1970 as prismatic dark-green crystals, with strong antimicrobial activity against several human and phytopathogens. Due to its high cytotoxicity, research on this compound decreased after the 1970s. During the early 2000s, FlpC gained more attention as a promising compound by which to develop new antimicrobials to control human, animal, and plant pathogens. This study provides an overview of the results pertaining to the in vitro and in vivo antimicrobial activity of pure FlpC, as well as semi-purified fractions containing FlpC, against phytopathogenic microorganisms. Furthermore, the bioprospection history of the extensively researched FlpC-producing Pseudomonas aeruginosa LV strain and the related molecular evidence regarding the compound’s biosynthesis are discussed. Overall, FlpC is proposed to be an important alternative to antimicrobial resistance in human and animal health, and in tackling the negative environmental impacts caused by the exacerbated use of pesticides against phytopathogens.

The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of the chemical and biological fertilizing on the development of two varieties of Schizolobium parahyba, paricá and guapuruvú. The chemical fertilizer NPK 20-05-20 and the plant growth promoting microorganisms, Rhizobium sp. (Rhi) and Rhizophagus clarus (Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungus - AMF). The experimental design was a randomized complete block with five replicates and eight treatments. Forty-six day old seedlings of each variety were planted in pits containing hydroretent gel. Then the treatments were added: 1. Control; 2. Rhi; 3. AMF; 4. NPK; 5. Rhi + NPK; 6. Rhi + AMF; 7. AMF + NPK; 8. Rhi + AMF + NPK. Plant length, stem diameter and survival in the environment were evaluated. The ANOVA followed by the Duncan test (? = 0,05) was used to compare the means of the treatments. In the four evaluated periods (37, 111, 250 and 360 days), both varieties had a positive effect on height, diameter and survival when applied to NPK treatments. The interaction AMF and Rhizobium sp. favored the growth in diameter of the guapuruvú. For paricá variety that same treatment provided higher growth in height, however, AMF impaired development in diameter of this variety. Thus, it was observed that under low fertility conditions, the interaction AMF + Rhi favored a greater resistance of guapuruvú to abiotic stress compared to treatment 3, and the presence of grasses in the experimental area may have contributed to the reduction on the development of S. parahyba.

The demand for a more sustainable agriculture, coupled with the need for optimized crop productivity, has driven the use of microorganisms for the biocontrol of diseases and pests, as well as for growth promotion. The use of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) and plant growth-promoting fungi (PGPF) in Brazilian production systems has become increasingly common, with the number of microbial inoculant registrations in the country growing every year. PGPR and PGPF occupy various niches in the rhizosphere, playing a crucial role in soil nutrient cycling, as well as influencing various plant physiological processes. In this review, we address the main mechanisms used by these microbial agents in growth promotion and the use of strain co-inoculation as a strategy to enhance the efficacy of these products. Subsequently, we conduct an analysis of the available inoculants in Brazil, detailing the microorganisms available for the main Brazilian crops, and the prospects of this market regarding research and development of new products for the coming years based on the current challenges faced.