Plant-growth-promoting rhizobacteria for mitigating salinity stress in rice farming: a review of the Vietnamese Mekong Delta

Trinh Thi My Nguyen ¹, Dung Minh Ha-Tran ^2,3, Chieh-Chen Huang ^4,5,6

⁰Faculty of Creative Technology, School of Technology, Van Lang University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

Frontiers in Plant Science +

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October 20, 2025

View abstract on PubMed

Summary

Plant-Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPR) offer a sustainable solution to combat salinity stress in rice, crucial for food security in Vietnam

Area Of Science

Agricultural Science
Environmental Science
Microbiology

Background

Salinity intrusion, driven by climate change and human activities, severely impacts rice production in coastal regions like the Vietnamese Mekong Delta (VMD).
Rice is highly vulnerable to salt stress, threatening food security and livelihoods in developing nations.
Recurrent salinity events in the VMD necessitate sustainable agricultural solutions.

Purpose Of The Study

To review the role of Plant-Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPR) in mitigating salinity stress in rice farming within the VMD.
To synthesize research on the causes of salinity intrusion and the efficacy of PGPR in the VMD.
To identify limitations in current research and advocate for further studies and international collaboration.

Main Methods

Literature review synthesizing existing research on salinity intrusion in the VMD.
Analysis of studies on the mechanisms by which PGPR enhance rice salt tolerance.
Assessment of the constraints and limitations of current research in Vietnam.

Main Results

Salinity in the VMD is exacerbated by sea-level rise, land subsidence, upstream dams, and sand mining.
PGPR enhance rice salt tolerance via osmotic regulation, improved nutrient uptake, and activation of stress-responsive genes.
Controlled and field studies demonstrate the efficacy of PGPR in improving rice resilience to salt stress.

Conclusions

PGPR present a promising, eco-friendly approach to enhance rice salt tolerance and maintain agricultural productivity in the VMD.
Current research in Vietnam is limited by a lack of long-term studies and international accessibility of findings.
Further research and international collaboration are essential for the scalability and adoption of PGPR by VMD farmers.

Keywords:

Vietnamese Mekong Delta plant growth promoting rhizobacteria rice production salinity intrusion salt stress tolerance