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Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria and Biochar as Drought Defense Tools: A Comprehensive Review of Mechanisms and Future Directions
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria and Biochar as Drought Defense Tools: A Comprehensive Review of Mechanisms and Future Directions

Faezeh Parastesh, Behnam Asgari Lajayer and Bernard Dell
Current issues in molecular biology, Vol.47(12), 1040
2025
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Published4.91 MBDownloadView
CC BY V4.0 Open Access

Abstract

ACC deaminase char sphere climate resilient farming microbial colonization phytohormone crosstalk soil-water retention
Drought stress, exacerbated by climate change, is a serious threat to global food security. This review examines the synergistic potential of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) and biochar as a sustainable strategy for enhancing crop drought resilience. Biochar’s porous structure creates a protective “charosphere” microhabitat, enhancing PGPR colonization and survival. This partnership, in turn, induces multifaceted plant responses through: (1) the modulation of key phytohormones, including abscisic acid (ABA), ethylene (via 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC) deaminase activity), and auxins; (2) improved nutrient solubilization and uptake; and (3) the activation of robust antioxidant defense systems. These physiological benefits are orchestrated by a profound reprogramming of the plant transcriptome, which shifts the plant’s expression profile from a stressed to a resilient state by upregulating key genes (e.g., Dehydration-Responsive Element-Binding protein (DREB), Light-Harvesting Chlorophyll B-binding protein (LHCB), Plasma membrane Intrinsic Proteins (PIPs)) and downregulating stress-senescence markers. To realize a climate-resilient farming future, research must be strategically directed toward customizing biochar–PGPR combinations, validating their long-term performance in agronomic environments, and uncovering the molecular bases of their action.

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UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

This output has contributed to the advancement of the following goals:

#2 Zero Hunger
#6 Clean Water and Sanitation
#12 Responsible Consumption & Production
#13 Climate Action
#15 Life on Land

Source: InCites

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InCites Highlights

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Collaboration types
Domestic collaboration
International collaboration
Citation topics
3 Agriculture, Environment & Ecology
3.45 Soil Science
3.45.1903 Biochar
Web Of Science research areas
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
ESI research areas
Molecular Biology & Genetics
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