Five desiccation-tolerant rhizobacteria (Brevibacterium frigoritolerans-LPS1B, Bacillus subtilis- CHFT15, B. subtilis-CHFT12, B. subtilis-CH13, and Pseudomonas stutzeri-CHP413A) isolated from Pakistan’s Cholistan desert were characterized on the basis of morphological, biochemical, and 16S rDNA ribotyping. The desiccation tolerance was checked at various relative humidity levels (5, 23, and 100%) for a period of 1-40 days. Heavy metal and antibiotic resistance, auxin, cytokine, siderophore, hydrogen cyanide production, and phosphate solubilization of select bacterial isolates was also investigated. Pot experiments with corn in sandy and pure soil were also carried out to check the plant growth-promoting potential of select strains after 90 days of growth. After harvest, various growth parameters like seed germination, root and shoot length, number of leaves, dry weight per gram fresh weight, and chlorophyll contents were determined. The inoculation of P. stutzeri-CHP413A resulted in 3, 33,12, and 37% increases in seed germination, number of leaves, shoot and root length, and dry weight·g^-1 fresh weight, respectively, in sandy soil (p<0.05).