Rhizospheric Interactions for Abiotic Stress Mitigation

Global crop production is under a significant challenge from both biotic and abiotic stressors. Extremes in temperature, drought, waterlogging, salt, and pollutants like heavy metals are some of the key stressors that limit crop growth and cause losses in agricultural productivity. Crop plants depend on their innate biological systems to adapt to harsh environmental and edaphic circumstances; otherwise, their development, growth, and productivity are negatively impacted. Microorganisms, the most innate dwellers of a wide range of habitats, have a remarkable metabolic capacity to reduce abiotic stressors. Microbial relationships with plants are thought to be the natural partners that regulate systemic and local defence mechanisms in response to unfavourable external circumstances, as they are an essential component of the living ecosystem. In order to adapt to such challenging circumstances, various mechanisms inside the plant cellular system that govern plant-microbe interactions must be investigated. This book will cover the multifaceted beneficial plant-microbe interactions including plant-growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) symbiosis; and AMF, PGPRs for abiotic stress mitigation and enhancing crop performance.