Paraburkholderia

Abstract

This chapter describes taxonomic features of the controversial Burkholderia sensu lato group, its division into different genera, and an overview of the members of the new genus Paraburkholderia, which encompasses plant growth promoting species isolated from natural environments. Some plant growth promotion abilities are detailed and plant-Paraburkholderia spp. interactions under different growth conditions, such as gnotobiotic, growth chamber/greenhouse and field ones, are summarized. Although there are few studies of Paraburkholderia spp. as experimental bioinputs, the compilation of results of this chapter show that the Paraburkholderia genus is a promising group of microorganisms to be used in agricultural crops to reduce the use of agrochemicals and to promote sustainable management strategies in agriculture. Nevertheless, further studies are necessary to develop strategies for the successful delivery of this promising Plant Growth Promoting Bacteria (PGPB) into the plants under field conditions.