ABSTRACT
The genus Bacillus comprises an expansive and diverse set of bacteria distinguished by a common feature: the ability to make dormant endospores aerobically when challenged with unfavorable growth conditions. The bacterial genus Bacillus has a long and rich history in the annals of microbiology. The use of Bacillus for plant growth promotion is an area with great potential for agriculture. By virtue of its ability to make endospores through a primitive yet intricate developmental process, the genus Bacillus has been intensively studied in the academic arena. In Europe (excluding the UK), Bacillus probiotics are used prophylactically against gastrointestinal ailments. The importance of Bacillus in the field of medicine was established in the late 1800s by the identification of Bacillus anthracis by Louis Pasteur and A. Koch as the causative agent of anthrax. Plants continue to be a rich source of novel Bacillus species, some endophytic and others rhizosphere-associated.
