Role of Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria in Enhancing Crop Productivity through Improved Nutrient Availability and Sustainable Agricultural Practices

Abstract

The increasing demand for sustainable crop production has encouraged the development of eco-friendly alternatives to chemical fertilisers. This study evaluated the potential of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) and their consortium application for improving wheat (Triticum aestivum) growth, nutrient uptake and yield performance. Three bacterial isolates (RB1, RB2 and RB3) were evaluated individually and as a consortium under controlled conditions using five treatments with ten biological replicates. PGPR isolates exhibited important plant growth-promoting traits, including nitrogen fixation, phosphate solubilisation, indole-3-acetic acid production and pathogen inhibition activity. PGPR inoculation significantly enhanced wheat growth compared with the untreated control. The consortium treatment produced the highest plant height (82.6 cm), root length (27.8 cm), dry biomass (5.5 g), chlorophyll content (51.6 SPAD units), nitrogen uptake (66.9 mg plant⁻¹) and grain yield (39.4 g plant⁻¹), representing a 113% increase in yield compared with control plants. Individual isolates also improved plant performance, although their effects were lower than the combined consortium treatment. Statistical analysis confirmed significant differences among treatments (p < 0.05). The findings demonstrate that PGPR consortia provide a promising sustainable approach for enhancing wheat productivity through improved nutrient acquisition and plant physiological performance.