Dear Colleagues,

To meet the ever-increasing demand for crops, chemical fertilizers are being used extensively worldwide. Injudicious use of chemical fertilizers not only causes serious health issues but also is quite hazardous to the soil environment and can damage soil fertility permanently. In comparison, biofertilizers comprising rhizobacteria can improve soil fertility and promote plant growth by direct and indirect mechanisms. The rhizospheric microbiome, which is also known as the second genome of the plant comprises plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) and fungi that increase plant growth through phosphate solubilization, nitrogen fixation, siderophore production, and indole acetic acid production. Moreover, the rhizospheric microbiome control plant pathogens by producing secondary metabolites such as antagonistic substances and hydrolytic enzymes. A range of hydrolytic enzymes including proteases, amylases, cellulases, lipases, chitinases etc. can also degrade various environmental pollutants such as pesticides, herbicides, hydrocarbons, and plastics. Besides, over the years, urbanization and industrialization have led to a number of issues including salinity ingress leading to less/non-productive soil. Microbiota having the potential especially to survive under such adverse conditions could be potential candidates to be used either individually or in consortia as biofertilizers while adverse conditions may impair the growth of native flora. The rhizospheric microbiome protects the plant and promotes plant growth and yield parameters of crops under abiotic stress conditions. Furthermore, biofertilizers comprising rhizospheric microbes function as crucial performers in sustainable agriculture by improving soil fertility and crop yield.  The scientific community worldwide is involved in exploring such potentials of microbes. Providing a platform to discuss their work globally would be very promising.

Hence, this section deals with the rhizospheric microbiome and its potential to secrete various bioactive compounds under biotic and abiotic stress conditions. Consequently, research articles and reviews in this area of study are invited.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Sangeeta D. Gohel

Dr. Anjana K. Vala

Section editors