This book discusses the basic and applied aspects of soil microbial functioning. It describes the physiological, biochemical, and molecular mechanisms of microbiomes that support plant growth by producing accessible nitrogen (nitrogen fixation), phosphorus (P mobilization), and hormones. It talks about the agriculturally-important microorganisms such as bacteria, actinobacteria, fungi, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, cyanobacteria and bacteriophages. This book also discusses techniques to reduce soil degradation and increase agricultural sustainability together with the latest advancements in crop and soil microbiome technologies. As climate change impacts agricultural productivity and soil health in affected areas worldwide, potential methods to find a balance between crop yield and soil health are becoming more and more important. This book brings together a group of knowledgeable authors to examine how microbiomes might be used to achieve agricultural sustainability in vulnerable and degraded places from a global viewpoint. Related subjects covered include composting, microbial engineering, waste management, pest control, soil health, and environmental contamination.

Researchers, professors of agricultural management and sustainability, environmentalists, graduate and postgraduate students, and agriculturalists are all intended audiences for this work.

Covers microbial biotechnologies that are employed to mitigate abiotic and biotic stress in agriculture Describes the physiological, biochemical and molecular mechanisms of microbiomes that support plant growth Includes a separate chapter on eco-friendly fertilizers for sustainable agriculture

Autorentext

Dr. Venugopal Gopikishnan is an Assistant Professor (Research) at the Centre for Drug Discovery and Development, Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai, India. His area of expertise is actinobacterial research. For the goal of bioprospecting, he has concentrated his research on actinobacteria sourced from several understudied sources, such as fish gut, earthworm cast, and insect nest. Furthermore, he is doing research on the exploration of associated microbial resources for agricultural applications, including plant growth promotion, bioremediation of heavy metals and pesticides, as well as aquaponics, among others. Additionally, he works with natural colours derived from microbial resources and organic waste. He participated in the 12th Indian Southern Ocean Expedition (2025) to conduct actinobacterial research. He has published 23+ book chapters, more than 60 research articles and one manual under Springer Protocols Handbook series titled "Protocols in Actinobacterial Research".

Dr. Radhakrishnan Manikkam is currently working as Professor (Research) at Centre for Drug Discovery and Development, Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai, India. He completed his PhD in Microbiology from National Institute for Research in Tuberculosis (ICMR), Chennai, India. He has 15 years of research and 4 years of teaching experience in the field of Microbial biotechnology. His field of expertise include the diversity and bioprospecting of actinobacteria from rare habitats and cryosphere microbial research for sustainable development. He has published 160 journal articles, 45 book chapters and 3 books by springer publisher. He has participated in the 11th Indian Southern Ocean Expedition and 1st ever Indian Arctic Winter Expedition for pursing actinobacterial research.

Dr. Kasem Soytong is presently the Director at King Mongkut's Institute of Technology (KMITL), Research Institute of Modern Organic Agriculture (RIMOA), Thailand. He completed his PhD in plant pathology at the University of the Philippines Los Banos (UPLB), Philippines, in 1988, and has over 35 years of experience in both teaching and research. His areas of research interest include plant pathology, organic formation, nano-elicitors, chaetomium products, and biofertilizers. He has authored five books, 190+ research articles, and more than five book chapters. Additionally, he serves as a consultant for a number of industries, including CGC Lao, Ji-An, Jiangxi, China; Aloe Valley Organic Green Resort; and King Farmers Co. Ltd., Bangkok, Thailand. He has also completed 15 patent applications.

Dr. Wafaa Haggag currently working as a Professor at the National Research Center (NRC) in Egypt. She served as the principal investigator (PI) for numerous research and development initiatives and has provided consulting to numerous regional and global organizations. Her areas of interest include agriculture, plant pathology, biological control, plant tolerance to biotic and abiotic stress, climate change, environment, geographic information system and smart agriculture. She is also interested in fighting desertification on recently reclaimed land. She has completed ten patent applications, 190+ research articles, 17 books and more than 15 book chapters.

Inhalt

Chapter 1. Innovation in microbial biotechnology for organic agriculture.- Chapter 2. Streptomyces sp. mitigates biotic and abiotic stress responses and stimulates plant development.- Chapter 3. Eco-friendly Fertilizers for Sustainable Agriculture: A Path Toward Greener Farming.- Chapter 4. Challenges and Opportunities for the Use of Microorganisms in Sustainable Agriculture in the Future.- Chapter 5. Earthworm & earthworm cast-associated microbes for sustainable agriculture.- Chapter 6. Bio prospects of marine microbes for plant growth promotion and disease control.- Chapter 7. Harnessing Plant-Associated Microorganisms for Increasing Agricultural Productivity and Biocontrol Potential in Harsh Environments.- Chapter 8. Chaetomium: Goldmine for sustainable agriculture.- Chapter 9. Microbial bioagents as tools for eliminating toxigenic fungi.- Chapter 10. Remediating heavy metals from the environment via secondary interactions between plants and microorganisms.- Chapter 11. Microbial nanotechnology in agricultural applications.- Chapter 12. Bacillus in Agriculture: Past, Present, and Future.- Chapter 13. Microbial Biosurfactants for Agriculture Applications.- Chapter 14. Endophytes as Biological Control Agents of Plant Diseases.- Chapter 15. The role of microorganisms in activating plant immunity against viral pathogens.- Chapter 16. Effects of Microbial Pesticides on Insect Control.- Chapter 17. Value-Adding Agricultural Products by Microbial Intervention.- Chapter 18. Actinobacteria as potential biopesticides.- Chapter 19. The potential of microbes as biofertilizers and biopesticides for sustainable agriculture.- Chapter 20. Portraying drought responses and mechanisms of tolerance in rhizobacteria.