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readiness is the key to the sustainability of dryland agricultural systems. Among the
various strategies being developed, the promotion of microbial-based technologies
is important as it has minimal input costs. Microorganisms are essential members of
the arid soil environment. They are key players in biogeochemical cycling which
makes nutrients readily-available to plants. They also promote plant growth through
various other direct and indirect mechanisms. They influence the host plantʼs
response to biotic and abiotic stress conditions thus helping in their survival under

Table 4 Role of microorganisms in abiotic stress management

Microorganism Crop Stress Effects References

AM fungi Sorghum Drought Improved water

relation

Cho et al. ( 2006 )

Pseudomonas

fluorescens

Groundnut Salinity Enhanced ACC

deaminase activity

Saravanakumar and

Samiyappan ( 2007 )

Pseudomonas putida

P45

Sunflower Drought Improved soil

aggregation due to

EPS production

Sandhya et al.

( 2009 )

Pseudomonas sp.

AMK-P6

Sorghum Heat Induction of heat

shock proteins and

improved plant

biochemical status

Ali et al. ( 2009 )

P. fluorescens Pf1 Green gram Drought Increased activity

of catalase and

peroxidase

Saravanakumar

et al. ( 2011 )

Azospirillum spp. Wheat Drought Synthesis of ACC

deaminase

Arzanesh et al.

( 2011 )

Bacillus spp. Corn Drought Increased plant

biomass, relative

water content,

RAS/RT ratio

Sandhya et al.

( 2011 )

Bacillus cereus Mung bean,

chickpea,

rice

Salinity Enhanced

antioxidants levels

Chakraborty et al.

( 2011 )

Exiguobacterium,

Pseudomonas,

Pantoea, Serratia, and

Streptomyces

Wheat Cold

stress

Synthesis of

antifreezing

protein,

accumulation

cryoprotectants

Mishra et al. ( 2012 )

Streptomyces spp. Wheat Drought Plant growth

promotion

Yandigeri et al.

( 2012 )

Bacillus spp. Sorghum Drought Improved plant

growth, enhanced

chlorophyll and

relative water

content

Grover et al. ( 2014 )

AMF Spring

wheat

Drought RWC, WUE, P

uptake plant

biomass and yield

Zhang et al. ( 2015 )

Application of Microbiology in Dryland Agriculture