ABSTRACT
Global population is increasing exponentially, however resources grow arithmetically. The world’s population is expected to reach 9.7 billion by 2050. This projection increases the concerns related to feeding and managing the natural resources. In view of enhancing the productivity and fulfilling the basic nutritional demands of rising population, efficient and sustainable agricultural techniques must be employed. On a large scale, agricultural production is dependent on chemical fertilizers and pesticides to ameliorate the nutrient acquisition of plants and to control the pests and pathogens. However, these intensive agricultural techniques are environmentally hazardous, costly and unsustainable. Therefore, search for eco-friendly and sustainable alternatives is essential to meet the pursuit of global food security. Plant microbiomes can be such alternatives as they play a major role in plant growth promotion without exhibiting detrimental effects on the environment. Endophytic microbiomes are regarded as more important as their effects on plant improvement are direct and efficient on account of their residence inside the plant itself. Endophytes directly enhances the photosynthetic efficiency of host plants, improves plant growth and development by phytohormone biosynthesis, nitrogen fixation, siderophore production, phosphate, zinc and potassium solubilization. In addition, they indirectly promote plant growth by augmenting their tolerance to biotic factors, like, pathogens, pests and nematodes along with conferring resistance to various abiotic factors including drought, salinity, temperature extremes, reactive oxygen species and soil contaminants. By using these multi-lucrative microbes as bioinoculants, crop production can be intensified manifold in a sustainable manner.
