Salme Timmusk^1,, Kadri Timmusk², Lawrence Behers³

Global climate change is one of the most serious challenges facing us today. As agricultural activities expand to less fertile areas to satisfy growing demands for food, the scenarios of global environmental change suggest future increases in aridity in many areas on the earth making drought stress an important issue worldwide. Accordingly, novel solutions for plant survival and growth under restricted water availability are of central significance in contemporary plant science. Rhizobacterial ability to increase plant growth and provide protection to various pathogens has been frequently reported and applied in agricultural systems. Relatively few reports have been published on the bacterial ability to induce drought stress tolerance. Application of the isolates together with novel technologies for their monitoring and risk evaluations can contribute to solving food security issues in the changing climates. Commercial applications of the rhizobacterial isolates need complex approaches, both in the technology in the field, and in the commercial financing and ownership of the patent rights.

abiotic stress, climate change, plant growth promoting rhizobacteria, ACC deaminase, bacterial biofilms