Multifunctional microbes enhance soil health and plant growth through decomposition and bioremediation for sustainable agriculture

The escalating global population has intensified pressure on agricultural systems, exposing the environmental limitations of conventional farming practices, including biodiversity loss, soil degradation, greenhouse gas emissions, and an excessive dependence on synthetic inputs. In this context, sustainable agriculture has emerged as a critical paradigm, with soil microbial diversity playing a pivotal role in enhancing the resilience and productivity of agroecosystems. This review systematically examines the multifunctional potential of beneficial soil microorganisms, particularly plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), in improving nutrient dynamics and crop performance. PGPR contributes to plant growth through mechanisms such as biological nitrogen fixation, phosphate solubilization, phytohormone production and biocontrol of phytopathogens. Notably, biological nitrogen fixation is estimated to supply the maximum nitrogen input in agricultural systems, significantly reducing the reliance on chemical fertilizers. Despite extensive research on microbial applications, a critical gap remains in the identification, functional characterization, and field-level validation of indigenous multifunctional microbial consortia under diverse agro-climatic conditions. This review highlights recent advances in microbe-mediated processes, including organic matter decomposition, humus formation, and heavy metal bioremediation via biosorption, bioaccumulation, bioleaching, and biotransformation. Furthermore, it explores emerging strategies that integrate microbial technologies with precision agriculture and bio-based inputs. The novelty of this review lies in its focus on harnessing indigenous microbial diversity to develop robust and multifunctional bioinoculants capable of nutrient mobilization and environmental remediation. Advancing such microbial interventions can reduce agrochemical dependency, improve soil health, and contribute to climate-resilient agriculture, thereby aligning with global sustainability goals.