Harnessing Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria for the Biocontrol of Phytopathogens in Sustainable Agriculture: A Review

P.  Saranraj; Riyazali Sayyed; K.  Kesavardhini; B.  Lokeshwari; K.  Gayathri

doi:10.56093/aaz.v65i3.171763

Authors

P. Saranraj Department of Microbiology, Sacred Heart College (Autonomous), Tirupattur 635 601, India
Riyazali Sayyed Department of Biological Sciences and Chemistry, College of Arts and Sciences, University of Nizwa, Nizwa, 616, Oman
K. Kesavardhini Department of Microbiology, Sacred Heart College (Autonomous), Tirupattur 635 601, India
B. Lokeshwari Department of Microbiology, Sacred Heart College (Autonomous), Tirupattur 635 601, India
K. Gayathri Department of Microbiology, Sacred Heart College (Autonomous), Tirupattur 635 601, India

https://doi.org/10.56093/aaz.v65i3.171763

Keywords:

Biocontrol, PGPR, Phytopathogens, Rhizosphere Microbiome, Sustainable agriculture.

Abstract

Plant diseases significantly reduce worldwide agricultural production, causing yield declines of 21-30% for major crops, while excessive use of pesticides and chemicals poses serious health and environmental risks. Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) offer an environmentally acceptable, efficient biocontrol approach against phytopathogens. Through direct mechanisms, such as the synthesis of phytohormones and nutrients, and indirect mechanisms, including the synthesis of antibiotics and siderophores and the establishment of induced systemic resistance (ISR), PGPR support plant development and suppress infections. This paper examines the role of PGPR in sustainable agriculture, focusing on their interactions with plant roots, rhizosphere dynamics, and the rhizosphere microbiome, as well as their biocontrol efficacy against fungal, bacterial, and nematode diseases. Key mechanisms include niche exclusion, competition for resources, and the release of antimicrobial compounds. Large-scale PGPR application is hindered by limitations such as inconsistent field performance, environmental acceptability concerns, and regulatory issues. Breakthroughs in microbial ecology, molecular biology, and bioinformatics offer new opportunities to optimize PGPR formulations and enhance crop-specific compatibility. Future studies should focus on developing microbial consortia, enhancing their stress tolerance, and integrating them into organic farming systems to achieve sustainable biocontrol. Within the framework of the green revolution, sustainable agriculture can increase crop yields, enhance soil health, and reduce the use of synthetic agrochemicals by leveraging PGPR-plant associations. This review highlights the promise of PGPR for the biological control of agricultural diseases and discusses the challenges and future directions for its global commercialization.

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Moghaddam, M.H., Moradi, A., Piri, R., Glick, B.R., Fazeli-Nasab, B. and Sayyed, R.Z. 2024. Seed coating with minerals and plant growth-promoting bacteria enhances drought tolerance in fennel (Foeniculum vulgare L.). Biocatalysis and Agricultural Biotechnology 58: 103202.

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Muthukumaran, M., Rawindran, H., Noorjahan, A., Parveen, M., Barasarathi, J., Blessie, J.P.J., Ali, S.S., Sayyed, R.Z., Awasthi, M.K., Hassan, S., Ravindran, B., Vatanpour, V. and Balakumar, V.S. 2024. Microalgae-based solutions for palm oil mill effluent management: Integrating phycoremediation, biomass, and biodiesel production for a greener future. Biomass and Bioenergy 191: 107445.

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Nasab, B.F., Sayyed, R.Z., Mojahed, L.S., Rahmani, A.F., Ghafari, M., Antonius, S. and Sukamto 2022. Biofilm production: A strategic mechanism for survival of microbes under stress conditions. Biocatalysis and Agricultural Biotechnology 42: 102337. doi:10.1016/j.bcab.2022.102337

Naseem, A., Alneghery, L.M., Al-Zaharani, M., Nasr, F.A., Jawad, S.S., Umer, M., Sayyed, R. and Ilyas, N. 2025. An insight into the impacts of pharmaceutical pollutants on the ecosystem, and the potential role of bioremediation in mitigating pharmaceutical pollutants. International Journal of Pharmaceutics 680: 125791.

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Nithyapriya, S., Lalitha, S., Devi, S.U., Perveen, K., Alshaikh, N.A., Sayyed, R.Z. and Mastinu, A. 2024. Purification and characterization of desferrioxamine B of Pseudomonas fluorescens and its application to improve oil content, nutrient uptake, and plant growth in peanuts. Microbial Ecology87: 60.

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Omar, A.F., Abdelmageed, A.H.A., Al-Turki A., Abdelhameid, N.M., Sayyed, R.Z., and Rehan, M. 2022. Exploring the plant growth-promotion of four Streptomyces strains from rhizosphere soil to enhance cucumber growth and yield. Plants 11(23): 3316.

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Panicker, S. and Sayyed, R.Z. 2022. Hydrolytic Enzymes from PGPR against plant fungal pathogens. In: Antifungal Metabolites of Rhizobacteria for Sustainable Agriculture. Fungal Biology. (Eds. R. Sayyed, A. Singh, and N. Ilyas), pp. 211-38. Springer, Cham.

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Park, H., Choudhury, R.A., Walitang, D.I., Sayyed, R. and Sa, T.M. 2024. Changes in soil chemical properties and bacterial community composition of the jujube orchard due to oil cake fertilization. Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology 34(12): 2542-2549.

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Pourakbar, L., Moghaddama, S.S., Enshasy, H.E. and Sayyed, R.Z. 2021. Antifungal activity of the extract of a macroalgae, Gracilariopsis persica, against four plant pathogenic fungi in-vitro. Plants 10(9): 1781.

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Pradhan, N., Singh, S., Saxena, G., Pradhan, N., Koul, M., Kharkwal, A.C. and Sayyed, R. 2025. A Review on Microbe-mineral transformations and their impact on plant growth. Frontiers in Microbiology 16: 1549022.

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Praveen, V., Sudha, A., Amala, S.A., Ramjegathesh, R., Kavitha, S., Perveen, K., Bukhari, N.A. and Sayyed, R.Z. 2025. Harnessing Trichoderma asperellum: Tri-trophic interactions for enhanced black gram growth and root rot resilience. Journal of Basic Microbiology 65(3): e2400569.

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Qayoom, I., Balkhi, M., Mukhtar, M., Abubakr, A., Siddiqui, U., Khan, S., Sherwani, A., Jan, I., Sayyed, R.Z. and Mastinu, A.2024. Assessing organophosphate insecticide retention in muscle tissues of juvenile common carp fish under acute toxicity tests. Toxicology Reports12: 253-259.

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Reshma, P., Naik, M.K., Aiyaz, M., Niranjana, S.R., Chennappa, G., Shaikh, S.S. and Sayyed, R.Z. 2018. Induced systemic resistance by 2, 4-diacetylphloroglucinol-positive fluorescent Pseudomonas strains against rice sheath blight. Indian Journal of Experimental Biology 56(3): 207-12. http://nopr.niscpr.res.in/ handle/123456789/43660

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Sagar, A., Rai, S., Sharma, S., Perveen, K., Bukhari, N.A., Sayyed, R.Z. and Mastinu, A.2024. Molecular characterization reveals the biodiversity and biopotential of Bacillus spp. rhizobacterial isolates. Microbial Ecology 87: 83.

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Salehi-Sardoei, A., Sayyed, R.Z., Bright, J.P., Almujri, S.S., Almalki, W.H. and Fazeli-Nasab, B. 2024. Hybrid method of gibberellic acid applications: A sustainable and reliable way for improving Jerusalem cherry. Biocatalysis and Agricultural Biotechnology 59: 103253.

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Sangwan, S., Shameem, N., Yashveer, S., Tanwar, H., Parray, J.A., Jatav, H.S., Sharma, S., Punia, H., Sayyed, R.Z., Almalki, W.H., Poczai, P. 2022. Role of Salicylic Acid in Combating Heat Stress in Plants: Insights into Modulation of Vital Processes.Frontiers in Bioscience (Landmark Ed). 27(11): 310

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Sethi, G., Behera, K.K., Sayyed, R., Adarsh, V., Sipra, B.S., Singh, L., Alamro, A.A. and Behera, M. 2025. Enhancing soil health and crop productivity: The role of zinc-solubilizing bacteria in sustainable agriculture. Plant Growth Regulation.

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Shahbaz, M., Akram, A., Mehak, A., Haq, E., Fatima, N., Wareen, G., Aamir, S., Hassan, H., Poczai, P., Sayyed, R.Z. and Ilyas, N. 2023. Evaluation of selenium nanoparticles in inducing disease resistance against spot blotch disease and promoting growth in wheat under biotic stress. Plants 12(4): 761.

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Shahdadi, F., Sepideh, K., Sardoei, A.S., Fallahnajmabadi, F., Fazeli-Nasab, B., Almalki, W.H., Almujri, S.S. and Sayyed, R.Z. 2023. GC-MS profiling of Pistacia veraL. cv. Ahmad-Aghaei hull essential oil revealed the presence of potent antioxidant and antimicrobial compounds compared to their chemical counterparts. Scientific Reports 13: 21694.

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Sharma, S., Kumari, P., Shandilya, M., Thakur, S., Perveen, K., Sheik, I., Ahmed, Z., Sayyed, R. and Mastinu, A. 2025. The combination of α-Fe2O3NP and Trichoderma sp. improves antifungal activity against Fusarium wilt. Journal of Basic Microbiology e2400613.

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Singh, L., Nayak, A., Behera, M., Sethi, G., Alheswairini, S.S., Barasarathi, J., Sayyed, R., Behera, D.K. and Adarsh, V. 2025. Antifungal potential of cyanobacterium Desertifilum dzianense against collar rot pathogen in chickpea. Scientific Reports15: 23740.

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Sudha, A., Durgadevi, D., Rajesh, M., Ramalakshmi, A., Kavitha, S., Perveen, K., Alshaikh, N.A. and Sayyed, R.Z. 2023. Volatilome profiling and evaluation of plant growth stimulation and anti-ergot activity of VOCs produced by Trichoderma asperelloides. Sydowia 76: 93-109.

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Tariq, A., Tanvir, A., Barasarathi, J., Alsohim, A.S., Mastinu, A., Sayyed, R. and Nazir, A. 2025. Endophytes: key role players for sustainable agriculture: Mechanisms, omics insights and future prospects. Plant Growth Regulation 105: 1969-90.

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Tasnim, A., Roy, A., Akash, S.R., Ali, H., Habib, M.R., Barasarathi, J., Muthukumaran, M., Sayyed, R.Z. and Yeasmin, T. 2024. Hibiscus sabdariffa L. petal biomass: A green source of nanoparticles of multifarious potential. Open Agriculture 9: 20220332.

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Vafa, Z.N., Sohrabi, Y., Sayyed, R.Z., Suriani, N.L. and Datta, R. 2021. Effects of combinations of Rhizobacteria, mycorrhizae, and seaweeds on growth and yields in wheat cultivars under the influence of supplementary irrigation. Plants 10(4): 811.

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Vafa, Z.N., Sohrabi, Y., Heidari, G., Rizwan, M. and Sayyed, R.Z. 2024. Wheat growth and yield response are regulated by mycorrhizae application and supplemental irrigation. Chemosphere 364:143068.

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Viejobueno, J., Albornoz, P.L., Camacho, M., de los Santos, B., Martínez-Zamora, M.G. and Salazar, S.M. 2021. Protection of strawberry plants against charcoal rot disease (Macrophomina phaseolina) induced by Azospirillum brasilense. Agronomy 11(2): 195.

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Vinothini, K., Nakkeeran, S., Saranya, N., Jothi, P., Richard, J.I., Perveen, K., Bukhari, N.A., Glick, B.R., Sayyed, R.Z. and Mastinu, A. 2024. Rhizosphere engineering of biocontrol agents enriches soil microbial diversity and effectively controls root-knot nematode.Microbial Ecology 87: 120.

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Wani, P.A., Omobolanle, L.A., Hamid, H., Fayokemi, R.A., Perveen, K., Bukhari, N.A., Sayyed, R.Z. and Mastinu, A. 2024. Evaluation of destruction of bacterial membrane structure associated with anti-quorum-sensing and anti-diabetic activity ofCyperus esculentusextracts. Heliyon10: e34128.

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Wipf, H.M.-L., Xu, L., Gao, C., Spinner, H.B., Taylor, J., Lemaux, P., Mitchell, J. and Coleman-Derr, D. 2021. Agricultural soil management practices differentially shape the bacterial and fungal microbiomes of Sorghum bicolor.Applied and Environmental Microbiology 87(10): e02345-20.

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Yatoo, A.M., Ali, M.N., Baba, Z.A., Alsohim, A.S., Muthukumaran, M. and Sayyed, R.Z.2024. Effect of macrophyte biomass-based vermicompost and vermicompost tea on plant growth, productivity, and biocontrol of Fusarium wilt disease in tomato. Biocatalysis and Agricultural Biotechnology 60: 103320.

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