Abstract The modern agriculture faces twin challenge; feeding a growing population while conserving soil health, water and biodiversity. Excessive reliance on chemical fertilizers and pesticides has degraded soils, polluted water bodies and increased input costs for farmers. This results in residual effect, soil pollution and affect the overall soil productivity. Soil and plant-associated microbes such as diazotrophs, phosphate solubilizers, potassium mobilizers, mycorrhizal fungi,…