The article "A plant’s perception of growth-promoting bacteria and their metabolites" by Abou-Jaoudé et al. (2024) reviews the role of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) in enhancing plant growth and performance. The authors highlight the importance of PGPR in supporting plant development, particularly under biotic and abiotic stress conditions. They emphasize that plant growth is influenced by multiple factors, including photosynthesis, respiration, exudation, and herbivory, and discuss the need to monitor these processes to fully understand the effects of PGPR. The review covers the mechanisms by which PGPR improve plant nutrition, tolerance to stress, and resistance to pathogens. For example, PGPR can increase nutrient availability by fixing nitrogen, solubilizing phosphorus, and enhancing iron uptake. They can also alter root architecture and improve nutrient and water absorption. Additionally, PGPR can modulate plant hormone levels, such as auxins and cytokinins, to enhance growth and stress tolerance. The authors propose using leaf gas exchange measurements to assess the impact of PGPR on photosynthetic activity and recommend monitoring plant responses at specific time points to capture the effects of PGPR. They also discuss the challenges in current research, such as the lack of comprehensive analysis of photosynthetic variables, and suggest future directions for scientists working on PGPR-plant interactions. Overall, the article provides a critical analysis of the literature and aims to guide researchers in understanding and exploiting the potential of PGPR to improve plant value and productivity in various environments.The article "A plant’s perception of growth-promoting bacteria and their metabolites" by Abou-Jaoudé et al. (2024) reviews the role of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) in enhancing plant growth and performance. The authors highlight the importance of PGPR in supporting plant development, particularly under biotic and abiotic stress conditions. They emphasize that plant growth is influenced by multiple factors, including photosynthesis, respiration, exudation, and herbivory, and discuss the need to monitor these processes to fully understand the effects of PGPR. The review covers the mechanisms by which PGPR improve plant nutrition, tolerance to stress, and resistance to pathogens. For example, PGPR can increase nutrient availability by fixing nitrogen, solubilizing phosphorus, and enhancing iron uptake. They can also alter root architecture and improve nutrient and water absorption. Additionally, PGPR can modulate plant hormone levels, such as auxins and cytokinins, to enhance growth and stress tolerance. The authors propose using leaf gas exchange measurements to assess the impact of PGPR on photosynthetic activity and recommend monitoring plant responses at specific time points to capture the effects of PGPR. They also discuss the challenges in current research, such as the lack of comprehensive analysis of photosynthetic variables, and suggest future directions for scientists working on PGPR-plant interactions. Overall, the article provides a critical analysis of the literature and aims to guide researchers in understanding and exploiting the potential of PGPR to improve plant value and productivity in various environments.