In agricultural education and research, the study of agricultural microbiology has undergone tremendous changes in the past few decades, leading to today’s scientific farming that is a backbone of economy all over the globe. Microorganisms in Sustainable Agriculture, Food, and the Environment fills the need for a comprehensive volume on recent advances and innovations in microbiology. The book is divided into four main parts: food microbiology; soil microbiology; environmental microbiology, and industrial microbiology and microbial biotechnology.

Beneficial Microbes for Sustainable Agriculture under Abiotic Stress: Funtional Traits and Regulation highlights the potential for microbe-mediated stress phytolerance to be improved by presenting multiple scenarios of application and results. In most research and studies, abiotic stress is applied singularly to specific plants inoculated with a bioinoculum or a bacterial consortium to isolate specific plant-microbe responses. However, in reality, plants are continually exposed to a multitude of different stresses simultaneously occurring. This book presents bacteria functional traits and bacteria-mediated plant responses under both specific or combined stress conditions. Collectively, it provides insights into bacterial functional traits and bacteria-mediated plant responses in a wide range of conditions, providing foundational understanding of their potential benefits, and inspiring further research. The book centers on specific bacterial strains and groups which have been shown to effectively promote stress tolerance, and which could be utilized to boost agricultural production under stress conditions. Their potential utilization in stress affected lands not just improves crop production but could also be in line with sustainable agriculture. With the advancement of tools such as Omics related technologies, emerging information on bacterial functional traits and regulations on bacteria mediated phytotolerance will also allow us to develop relevant biotechnologies harnessing potentials of plant-bacteria interactions under stress conditions. The information in this volume will be of interest to those working toward these next steps. Includes microbial functional traits and responses common to all stresses, unique to specific stress and shared by multiple stresses Focuses on microbial strains and groups proven to be most effective in promoting stress tolerance Explores opportunities toward improvement of sustainable agriculture and resulting food security

Microbial biotechnology is an emerging field with applications in a broad range of sectors involving food security, human nutrition, plant protection and overall basic research in the agricultural sciences. The environment has been sustaining the burden of mankind from time immemorial, and our indiscriminate use of its resources has led to the degradation of the climate, loss of soil fertility, and the need for sustainable strategies. The major focus in the coming decades will be on achieving a green and clean environment by utilizing soil and plant-associated beneficial microbial communities. Plant-microbe interactions include the association of microbes with plant systems: epiphytic, endophytic and rhizospheric. The microbes associated with plant ecosystems play an important role in plant growth, development, and soil health. Moreover, soil and plant microbiomes help to promote plant growth, either directly or indirectly by means of plant growth-promoting mechanisms, e.g. the release of plant growth regulators; solubilization of phosphorus, potassium and zinc; biological nitrogen fixation; or by producing siderophores, ammonia, HCN and other secondary metabolites. These beneficial microbial communities represent a novel and promising solution for agro-environmental sustainability by providing biofertilizers, bioprotectants, and biostimulants, in addition to mitigating various types of abiotic stress in plants. This book focuses on plant-microbe interactions; the biodiversity of soil and plant microbiomes; and their role in plant growth and soil health. Accordingly, it will be immensely useful to readers working in the biological sciences, especially microbiologists, biochemists and microbial biotechnologists.

This review of recent developments in our understanding of the role of microbes in sustainable agriculture and biotechnology covers a research area with enormous untapped potential. Chemical fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides and other agricultural inputs derived from fossil fuels have increased agricultural production, yet growing awareness and concern over their adverse effects on soil productivity and environmental quality cannot be ignored. The high cost of these products, the difficulties of meeting demand for them, and their harmful environmental legacy have encouraged scientists to develop alternative strategies to raise productivity, with microbes playing a central role in these efforts. One application is the use of soil microbes as bioinoculants for supplying nutrients and/or stimulating plant growth. Some rhizospheric microbes are known to synthesize plant growth-promoters, siderophores and antibiotics, as well as aiding phosphorous uptake. The last 40 years have seen rapid strides made in our appreciation of the diversity of environmental microbes and their possible benefits to sustainable agriculture and production. The advent of powerful new methodologies in microbial genetics, molecular biology and biotechnology has only quickened the pace of developments. The vital part played by microbes in sustaining our planet’s ecosystems only adds urgency to this enquiry. Culture-dependent microbes already contribute much to human life, yet the latent potential of vast numbers of uncultured—and thus untouched—microbes, is enormous. Culture-independent metagenomic approaches employed in a variety of natural habitats have alerted us to the sheer diversity of these microbes, and resulted in the characterization of novel genes and gene products. Several new antibiotics and biocatalysts have been discovered among environmental genomes and some products have already been commercialized. Meanwhile, dozens of industrial products currently formulated in large quantities from petrochemicals, such as ethanol, butanol, organic acids, and amino acids, are equally obtainable through microbial fermentation. Edited by a trio of recognized authorities on the subject, this survey of a fast-moving field—with so many benefits within reach—will be required reading for all those investigating ways to harness the power of microorganisms in making both agriculture and biotechnology more sustainable.

The collection of essays in Microbes in Agriculture and Environmental Development explores the applications of microbes for the improvement of environmental quality and agricultural productivity through inoculants and enzymes. These are useful for the conservation and restoration of degraded natural and agricultural ecosystems, crop yield extension, soil health improvement, and other aspects of agriculture and the environment. It discusses the effective use of microbial technology, wastewater treatment, and recycling of agricultural and industrial wastes. It provides detailed accounts of recent trends in microbial application in plant growth promotion, soil fertility, microbial biomass and diversity, and environmental sustainability through bioremediation, biodegradation, and biosorption processes Features: Discusses microbes and their applications for sustainable agriculture and environmental protection in agro-environmental circumstances Presents innovative and eco-friendly approaches for the remediation of contaminated soil and wastewater Focuses on green technologies and sustainability Includes chapters on sustainable agriculture development through increasing soil fertility, physico-chemical properties and soil microbial biomass in nutrient-deprived soils Defines the role of microbial bio formulation-based consortia in the productivity improvement of agricultural crops It will be an invaluable addition to the bookshelves of researchers and graduate students in agriculture and environmental engineering, soil science; microbiology, sustainable agriculture, and ecosystems. Dr. Chhatarpal Singh is presently the President of Agro Environmental Development Society (AEDS), Majhra Ghat, Rampur, Uttar Pradesh, India. Dr. Tiwari is currently working in the field of methanotrophs ecology (methane oxidizing bacteria), which is sole entity responsible for the oxidation of potent greenhouse gas CH4. Dr. Jay Shankar Singh is presently working as a faculty member in the Department of Environmental Microbiology at Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University in Lucknow, India. Dr. Ajar Nath Yadav is currently serving as an assistant professor in the Department of Biotechnology, Akal College of Agriculture, Eternal University, Baru Sahib, Himachal Pradesh, India.

With contributions from a broad range of experts in the field, this volume, Microbiology for Sustainable Agriculture, Soil Health, and Environmental Protection, focuses on important areas of microbiology related to soil and environmental microbiology associated with agricultural importance. The information and research on soil and environmental microbiology presented here seeks to act as a gateway to sustaining and improving agriculture and environmental security. Part I focuses on soil microbiology, dealing extensively with studies on the isolation, culture, and use of Rhizobium spp. and mycorrhizae to improve soil fertility, plant growth, and yield. This includes research progress on biogeochemical cycles, plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), microbial interactions in soil and other soil activities, microbial diversity in soil, biological control and bioremediation, and improvement of beneficial microorganisms (N2 fixers, phosphate solubilizers, etc.). Part 2 goes on to focus on microbiology for crop disease management and pathogenic control in sustainable environment, with chapters on disease management of agricultural and horticultural crop plants through microbial control and how microbial control may a be a potential solution for a sustainability in agriculture. Part 3, Microbiology for Soil Health and Crop Productivity Improvement, features a chapter on the activity and mechanism of nitrogenase enzyme in soil, which is very important for soil health and crop production and productivity. Part 4 presents two chapters entirely devoted to the environmental pollution and its control, looking at the interaction of microbes in aqueous environments and eco-friendly approaches. There is an urgent need to explore and investigate the current shortcomings and challenges of the current innovations and challenges in agricultural microbiology. This book helps to fill that need. This volume will be valuable to those involved with agricultural microbiology, including students, instructors, and researchers.

This book is a compilation of case studies from different countries and covers contemporary with future prospective for sustainable development of agriculture. The book highlights the real-world as well as future generation situations facing the challenges for the twenty first century will be production of sufficient food and highlights the strengths, weaknesses and opportunities, to meet the needs of fast growing population it is imperative to increase agricultural productivity in an environmentally sustainable manner. Due to imbalanced use of chemical fertilizers and agrochemicals has a considerable negative impact on economy and environmental sustainability of nation, for the sustainable alternative means to solve these problems, the efficient utilization of biological agents have been extensively studied. Naturally existing plant-microbe-environment interactions are utilized in many ways for enhancing plant productivity. A greater understanding of how plants and microbes live together and benefit each other can therefore provide new strategies to improve plant productivity, in most sustainable way. To achieve the objective of sustainable agricultural practices there is a need for understanding both basic and applied aspects of agriculturally important microorganisms. Focus needs to be on transforming agricultural systems from nutrient deficient to nutrient rich soil-plant system. This book is split into two parts, with an aim to provide comprehensive description and highlight a holistic approach. It elucidated various mechanisms of nutrients solubilisation and its importance in enhancement of plant growth, nutrient content, yield of various crops and vegetables as well as soil fertility and health. Unit-1 in this book explains the importance of soil microbes in sustainable crop production. It contains chapters detailing the role and mechanism of action of soil microbes which enhances the productivity via various bio-chemical and molecular channe ls. In unit-2 the role of microbes in plant protection is elaborated. With the help of case studies of food crops, multiple ways in which soil microbes help in fighting and preventing plant diseases is explained. With the given content and layout book will be an all-inclusive collection of information, which will be useful for students, academicians, researchers working in the field of rhizospheric mechanisms, agricultural microbiology, soil microbiology, biotechnology, agronomy and sustainable agriculture and also for policy makers in the area of food security and sustainable agriculture.