Effects of plant growth-promoting bacteria on maize performance: A systematic review and meta-analysis
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.14295/bjs.v5i9.882Keywords:
rhizobacteria, bioinoculants, crop yield, plant–microbe interactions, sustainable agricultureAbstract
Plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) have been increasingly investigated as sustainable alternatives for improving crop productivity and reducing dependence on chemical fertilizers in agricultural systems. However, the effectiveness of microbial inoculation in maize remains variable across environmental and experimental conditions. This study aimed to quantify the overall effects of PGPB inoculation on maize performance and evaluate the influence of environmental and microbial factors on plant responses through a systematic review and meta-analysis. The review followed PRISMA 2020 guidelines and included experimental studies published between 2015 and 2026. A total of 23 studies providing sufficient statistical information met the eligibility criteria and were included in the quantitative synthesis. To ensure transparency and reproducibility, the complete dataset, PRISMA 2020 flow diagram, methodological quality assessment, and detailed search strategies are provided as supplementary materials. Effect sizes were calculated using the natural logarithm of the response ratio (lnRR) and analyzed using random-effects models. PGPB inoculation was generally associated with positive effects on maize performance, with an overall pooled effect size of lnRR = 0.3754 (95% CI = 0.2989–0.4520; p < 0.0001), corresponding to an average increase of approximately 45.6% relative to non-inoculated controls. No detectable heterogeneity was observed among studies (I² = 0.00%), indicating relatively consistent responses within the analyzed dataset. Moderator analyses demonstrated that the experimental environment significantly influenced the magnitude of plant responses, with greenhouse studies showing stronger positive effects than field experiments. No statistically significant differences were detected among inoculation types or bacterial taxa. Publication bias was not detected, and sensitivity analyses indicated that the pooled effect size was not disproportionately influenced by individual studies. Overall, the findings suggest that PGPB inoculation may represent a promising strategy for sustainable maize production, although the magnitude and consistency of responses remain dependent on environmental context and experimental conditions. The study also highlights the importance of integrating microbial functional traits, environmental filters, and microbiome interactions to improve the field-level performance of microbial inoculants in agricultural systems.
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