A comprehensive overview of recent advances in PGPM research is provided, with particular emphasis on next-generation microbial technologies, including synthetic microbial communities, advanced bioformulations, omics-based approaches, precision agriculture, and their contribution to the circular bioeconomy.
Abstract
Plant-growth-promoting microorganisms (PGPMs) have emerged as important biological tools for improving plant nutrition, crop productivity, soil health, and resilience to environmental stresses, contributing to more resource-efficient agricultural systems. This review provides a comprehensive overview of recent advances in PGPM research, with particular emphasis on next-generation microbial technologies, including synthetic microbial communities, advanced bioformulations, omics-based approaches, precision agriculture, and their contribution to the circular bioeconomy. This review combines a narrative synthesis with a bibliometric analysis based on a dataset of 801 English-language articles and review papers retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection on 22 May 2026. Bibliometric mapping identified a rapidly expanding and increasingly interdisciplinary research landscape centered on microbial biostimulants, biofertilizers, circular economy, soil health, microbiome engineering, and climate-smart agriculture. This narrative synthesis highlights that advances in multi-omic technologies, microbiome research, and formulation strategies are improving our understanding of plant–microbe interactions and supporting the development of more targeted microbial products. At the same time, widespread agricultural implementation remains constrained by inconsistent field performance, limited ecological validation, formulation challenges, fragmented regulatory frameworks, and insufficient long-term biosafety assessments. Future research should prioritize long-term field validation across diverse agroecosystems, standardized efficacy and safety evaluation, integration of artificial intelligence with multi-omics datasets, development of ecologically reliable microbial consortia, and regulatory harmonization to facilitate responsible commercialization.
Soil microbiomes are essential for nutrient cycling, plant health, stress resilience, and sustainable agriculture. Recent advances in high-throughput sequencing, multi-omics technologies, systems biology, and artificial intelligence (AI) have transformed our understanding of plant–microbiome interactions and enabled the development of innovative microbiome engineering strategies. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the mechanisms governing plant-associated soil microbiome assembly, microbial community functions, plant–microbe communication, and microbiome-mediated stress resistance in agricultural ecosystems. Current approaches to plant-associated soil microbiome manipulation and engineering, including microbial inoculants, synthetic microbial communities (SynComs), microbiome transplantation, rhizosphere steering, and synthetic biology-based interventions, are critically examined. The review further discusses the growing role of metagenomics, metabolomics, metatranscriptomics, machine learning (ML), and precision agriculture technologies in improving microbiome characterization, prediction, and management. Particular attention is given to the application of microbiome-based solutions for sustainable crop production, nutrient management, biological control, climate-smart agriculture, and ecosystem restoration. Despite significant progress, challenges related to field-scale variability, colonization stability, biosafety, regulatory frameworks, and data integration continue to limit large-scale implementation. Future advances in precision microbiome engineering are expected to combine ecological principles, multi-omics technologies, AI, and synthetic biology to develop predictive and resilient microbiome-based solutions for sustainable and climate-resilient agriculture.
A. Sadanov, G. Baimakhanova, B. Baimakhanova et al.· Microorganisms· 0 citations
The synthesis shows that the conceptual foundations of the field, including community assembly, host filtering and the holobiont perspective, are comparatively secure, whereas the translation of these principles into dependable agronomic tools is not, and priorities are proposed to move the field from descriptive potential towards demonstrated agronomic value.
D. Kanchana, Kavya C Kademani, R. Murali et al.· Journal of Advances in Micro...· 0 citations
The role of PGPF in climate-resilient cropping systems and circular bioeconomy frameworks, including waste valorization and biofertilizer development is highlighted and key limitations such as host specificity, environmental variability, and scalability challenges are identified.
Kallol Das, A. Sarker, D. Deepo et al.· Phyton· 0 citations
The roles of bacteria, fungi, archaea, algae and cyanobacteria in nutrient cycling, soil fertility improvement, plant growth promotion, biological nitrogen fixation, disease suppression and pollutant degradation are examined.
Sarita Dubey, Vaishalee Thakur, Akanksha Sharma· Journal of Advances in Biolo...· 0 citations
Agricultural systems are increasingly challenged by climate change, resource scarcity, environmental degradation, and the need to ensure food security for a growing global population. Addressing these multifaceted challenges requires innovative, science-driven approaches that enhance productivity while promoting ecological sustainability. This editorial examines the evolving role of plant biotechnology as a key driver of modern agricultural advancement, highlighting recent developments in genomics, multi-omics technologies, molecular breeding, genome editing, plant tissue culture, and digital agriculture. It discusses how these technologies contribute to the development of resilient crop varieties with improved tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses, enhanced nutrient-use efficiency, and superior agronomic performance. The editorial further emphasizes the integration of artificial intelligence, high-throughput phenotyping, bioinformatics, and systems biology into precision crop improvement, enabling more efficient translation of molecular discoveries into field applications. The importance of interdisciplinary collaboration, responsible innovation, biosafety, and science-based regulatory frameworks is also considered in supporting the sustainable deployment of emerging biotechnologies. Looking ahead, the convergence of advanced molecular tools with computational and ecological sciences is expected to accelerate the development of resilient agricultural systems capable of addressing future environmental and food production challenges. Continued investment in research, technological innovation, and international collaboration will be essential to maximize the societal and environmental benefits of next-generation crop improvement strategies.
Md. Mosharraf Hossen· Journal of Agriculture and F...· 0 citations
Plant-associated microbiomes are becoming widely accepted as being part of the regulation of crop health, productivity and resilience to growing biotic stress. This review aims to synthesize current knowledge on the ecological organization, mechanistic basis, and engineering potential of plant microbiomes in disease suppression and sustainable crop productivity under biotic stress. In this context, microbiome-derived biostimulants, bioinoculants and bioactive compounds are emerging as promising eco-friendly strategies to enhance plant health and stress resilience. The review is a synthesis of current progress in the composition, functional properties, and ecological processes of plant microbiomes in the rhizosphere, phyllosphere, and endosphere. Mechanistically, microbiome-mediated disease suppression works via nutrient competition (e.g., siderophore-mediated iron binding), generation of antimicrobial metabolites (e.g., DAPG, lipopeptides, VOCs), niche exclusion by biofilm production, and regulation of plant defense responses via induced systemic resistance (ISR) and defense priming. These activities include the stimulation of pattern-stimulated defense system, such as Ca2+ influx, reactive ROS build-up, MAPK signaling, and regulation of defense-associated genes. Multi-omics studies have shown that the functionality of microbiomes is too specific to a situation, and it depends on host genotype, environmental factors, and networks of microbial interactions. New approaches like synthetic microbial consortia and microbiome engineering have potential to improve disease control but are limited by ecological variability and field variability. Further development of mechanistic insights and predictive models will be critical in the ability to apply microbiome-based interventions to scalable and robust agricultural systems.
S. K. Upadhyay· Plant Science· 1 citation
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