Summary
This narrative review synthesises current understanding of how plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria alter rhizosphere and plant microbiomes through competitive mechanisms including nutrient deprivation, environmental acidification, and metabolite production. The authors argue that such microbiome modifications, whilst potentially limited by PGPR survival rates, may gradually establish conditions favouring plant-beneficial microbial communities and improving stress resilience across plant generations. The review identifies establishing a comprehensive knowledge framework on microbe-plant interactions as critical for developing reliable agricultural applications of PGPR.
Regional applicability
The review is a global synthesis of mechanistic knowledge on PGPR ecology rather than geographically specific field data. Its conclusions on microbiome-mediated stress resilience and reduced agrochemical dependency are broadly applicable to United Kingdom farming systems seeking sustainable intensification, though in-country validation of PGPR efficacy under UK climate and soil conditions would strengthen practical uptake.
Key measures
Microbiome composition changes; PGPR survival and re-colonisation efficiency; nutrient bioavailability; root exudate modification; stress-responsive signalling pathways
Outcomes reported
This review synthesises current knowledge on how plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) alter resident soil microbiome composition and structure, and examines the potential for these microbial changes to be inherited by subsequent plant generations. The paper evaluates mechanisms by which PGPR-root interactions modify rhizosphere and endosphere communities, particularly under stress conditions.
Topic tags
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