Role of Microorganisms in Alleviating Abiotic Stresses

Constantly changing agroclimatic scenario has raised serious threats to agricultural production and productivity nowadays. Current attempts toward attenuation of abiotic stressor(s) have met limited success. Among the several strategies proposed, microbial mitigation of abiotic stresses has gained rapid attention, particularly in light of its sustainable and green approach that utilizes the natural phenomenon of plant-microbe association and subsequent beneficial interactions. The role of phyllosphere, rhizosphere, and endophytic microorganisms in mitigating a variety of abiotic stressors is well known. However, limited information is available till date regarding the cumulative influence of abiotic stressor(s) on plant-microbe association and on the stress-mitigation potential of microorganisms as well. Microbial inoculation is frequently recommended under stress-prone environment; however, it appears quite crucial to understand the behavior of inoculants under stressed habitats, which could substantially reduce the failure encountered by microbial inocula. This chapter typically highlights the plant-microbial interactions under abiotic stresses, microbial adaptations, and the role of stress-resilient microbes in alleviating the same.