Potential role of beneficial soil microorganisms in plant tolerance to abiotic stress factors

Abiotic stress conditions such as drought, salinity and extreme temperatures are an increasing problem in agriculture. Research efforts are aimed to develop strategies to make agriculture more resilient and to mitigate the stress effects on crop production. In this context, the use of root-associated microbial communities able to improve plant tolerance is attracting increasing attention. In this chapter, we will offer an overview of the researches on the use of soil beneficial microorganisms, focusing mainly on mycorrhizal fungi and biocontrol agents such as Trichoderma species, to improve plant tolerance to different abiotic stresses (e.g. water stress, salinity, extreme temperatures).