Maize is an essential cereal crop and the third most essential food crop globally. The extensive dependence on pesticides and chemical fertilizers to control pests and increase crop yield, respectively, has generated an injurious impact on soil and animal health. Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), which depict a broad array of bacteria inhabiting the root vicinity and root surface, have proven to be a better alternative. These organisms expressly or by implication foster the growth and development of plants by producing and secreting numerous regulatory compounds in the rhizosphere. Some rhizobacteria found to be in association with Zea mays rhizosphere include Bacillus sp., Azotobacter chroococcum, Burkholderia spp., Streptomyces spp., Pseudomonas spp., Paenibacillus spp., and Sphingobium spp. For this review, the mechanism of action of these rhizospheric bacteria was grouped into three, which are bioremediation, biofertilization, and biocontrol. KEY POINTS: • Plant-microbe interaction is vital for ecosystem functioning. • PGPR can produce volatile cues to deter ravaging insects from plants.
Keywords: Biocontrol; Biofertilization; Bioremediation; Maize; Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria.