View article

Soil microorganisms are known to play an active role in increased crop yields and soil fertility through a diverse array of mechanisms and such organisms are termed as PGPR (Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria). This enhancement has been attributed to their involvement in the cycle of nutrients like carbon and nitrogen or in the decomposition of the organic matter, or production of allelopathic metabolites or enzymes influencing the pathogenic flora/fauna which indirectly promotes plant growth. Cyanobacteria are a ubiquitous group of organisms which have been relatively less investigated as PGPR, although their role in nitrogen dynamics of paddy based cropping systems is well investigated. Cyanobacteria are known to produce compounds with a wide range of activities, including phytohormones, biocidal metabolites or nutraceuticals. The interactions between agriculturally useful heterotrophic …