​Plant Growth Promoting Mesorhizobia as a Potential Inoculant for Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.): A Review

Chickpea establish symbiotic relationship with Mesorhizobium ciceri and fixes atmospheric nitrogen, which depends on the efficacy of the Mesorhizobium strains, crop management, soil and environmental factors. A multi-trait Mesorhizobium isolate having more than one Plant growth promoting (PGP) traits often stimulates plant growth directly by IAA and GA production, enhances nutrient uptake by solubilizing phosphorus and siderophore production while indirect growth promotion is by prevention of some pathogenic microorganisms by producing HCN. Several studies revealed that plant growth attributes and yield was increased with inoculation of multi trait Rhizobium isolates. The occurrence of different PGP traits of Mesorhizobium and their effects on plant growth will be discussed in this review paper.