Plant growth-promoting microbes and nanoparticles: Biotechnological potential in agrobiological systems

Plant growth-promoting microbes are well-known for their low cost and sustainable way of benefiting plants and reducing the application of chemical fertilizers and pesticides in agriculture and are therefore called “microbial biofertilizers.” Nanotechnology has been providing efficient tools to improve crop yields and optimize agricultural systems. Nanosized materials, found to enhance the activity of beneficial bacteria for plant growth promotion and protection, have emerged as a promising approach to address the drawbacks linked to the application of microbial biofertilizers in natural environments. Various types of nanoparticles have shown potential to improve the effectiveness of these biofertilizers in plants by increasing bacterial population, viability, and stability. Furthermore, some beneficial plant microorganisms can synthesize nanoparticles, thus playing the role of a green nano-factory that produces nanoparticles for biocontrol of phytopathogens. This chapter has provided an overview of the recent studies on the use of nanoparticles associated with bacteria for plant growth promotion and the green production of nanoparticles for biocontrol of plant diseases.