Manoeuvring Soil Microbiome and Their Interactions: A Resilient Technology for Conserving Soil and Plant Health

The soil microbial community hugely affects the growth and development of the plants through direct or indirect interactions. The rhizospheric microbial community dwelling in the soil are major drivers of this phenomenon. Manipulation of soil microbial population and community through various treatments of an array of beneficial microbes such as plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria, plant growth-promoting fungi, endophytic bacteria, biocontrol agents, etc. helps in alleviating various abiotic and biotic stresses of the plants. This, in turn, leads to the achievement of the yield which is close to the potential yield of the crop. Apart from increasing the yield of the crop, some of the beneficial microbes also enhance the nutrient content in the soil and availability of certain minerals to the plants eventually leading to conservation of soil health. Thus, manipulation of plant–soil microbiome paves the way for sustainable and green agriculture without imparting excessive monetary expenses, thereby creating increased crop production and embellishment of soil health. This chapter will so focus on the strategies and methods that are adopted to manipulate the plant–soil microbiome interactions, various mechanisms that are involved in the interactions, and the impact of this technology on the plant and soil.