This book provides information on the plant-microbe interactions which hold vital implications for addressing the global challenges of climate change, food security and environmental conservation. It also delves into the interconnectedness within the microbial world and its association with plants. The phenomenon of quorum sensing, a bacterial communication method that facilitates collective decision-making, has been discussed as well. The authors illustrate how these mechanisms enable soil microbes to engage in symbiotic relationships with plants, thereby promoting broader environmental sustainability goals. Facing the pressing global issue of climate change, the book elucidates the impact of these symbiotic relationships on climate regulation, tracing how these interactions influence the carbon cycle and greenhouse gases balance. This contributed volume thus weaves a compelling narrative that combines scientific knowledge with the global sustainable development goals.
The book is useful for scholars and researchers working in microbiology, botany, ecology, and environmental sciences.
Section I: Foundations of Soil Microbial Communities.
Chapter
1. A
Comprehensive Introduction to Soil Microbial Communities and Microbiomes.-
Chapter
2. Decoding Quorum Sensing: The Language of Bacteria for Sustainable
Development.
Chapter
3. Soil Actinomycetes with a Perspective of
Cellulolytic Activity.- Section II: Plant-Microbe Interactions for a
Sustainable Environment.
Chapter
4. Dialogue in the Dirt: Plant Microbe
Interaction in Soil.
Chapter
5. PGPR Consortia: Micro Solution to a Major
Challenges.
Chapter
6. The Role of Plant-Microbe Partnerships in Ecosystem
Functionality.
Chapter
7. Microbes to the Rescue: The Future of Plant
Protection.
Chapter
8. Plants, Microbes, and Carbon: The Interplay of Carbon
Cycling and Sequestration.
Chapter
9. Leveraging Plant Growth Promoting
Microbes with the Goal of Minimising the Impact of Climate Change on
Agriculture.
Chapter
10. Plant Responses to Drought Stress and Interactions
with The Root Microbiome for Sustainable Agriculture.
Chapter
11.
Rhizosphere Dynamics: The Microbial Influence on Root Architecture.
Chapter
12. Mechanistic Insights of Plant-Microbe Interactions in Mitigation of
Salinity Stress.- Section III: Future Perspectives on Soil Bacterial
Research.
Chapter
13. The Hidden Players: Soil Microbes in Ecosystems
Sustainability.
Chapter
14. Biofilms: The Unsung Heroes of Soil Health and
Crop Productivity.
Chapter
15. Metabolic Mysteries: New Perspectives on Soil
Bacterial Metabolism.
Chapter
16. Unseen Allies: Exploring Cooperative
Behaviour Among Soil Microbes.
Chapter
17. The Future of Biocontrol by
Plant-Microbe Nexus: Novel Strategies and Applications.
Chapter
18. Soil
Bacteria: An Invisible Army for Climate Resilience and Mitigation.-
Conclusions.
Chapter
19. Soil Microbiota as Key Players in Mitigating
Climate Change and Achieving a Sustainable Environment: A Conclusion.
Professor (Dr) Meenu Saraf is the Dean, Faculty of Sciences and Director of University School of Sciences. A Professor at the Department of Microbiology and Biotechnology at Gujarat University, India. She obtained her PhD in microbiology from Barkatullah University and has been working at Gujarat University since 1992. Plant-microbe interactions, biofertilizers, biocontrol, biofortification, biofuel production and nitrogen cycle in agriculture are the main areas of her research. She has been honoured with numerous awards, fellowships and funding from government agencies. Her research work is depicted through her strong publication record.
Dr. Dweipayan Goswami is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Microbiology and Biotechnology, Gujarat University, India. He has a PhD in biotechnology from Charotar University of Science and Technology, Gujarat, India. He has published 41+ journal articles, 5+ book chapters, 4 conference proceedings and 8 reviews in the field of biotechnology. His research interests include plant-microbe interactions, biofertilizers, biocontrol, biofortification, biofuel production, nitrogen cycle, antimicrobial resistance and metagenomics.
Professor (Dr) Dinesh Kumar Maheshwari is a well-known botanist and microbiologist, who has done important work on nitrogen fixing bacteria, halophiles, endophytes and sustainable agriculture. He was the Vice-Chancellor of Gurukul Kangri Vishwavidyalaya, Haridwar, and awardee of MHRD-UGC-BSR Eminent Faculty Fellowship. He has written many books and research articles on Microbiology and related subjects. Prof. Maheshwari got his PhD in botany from Agra University in 1977 and became a Professor in the Department of Botany and Microbiology at Gurukul Kangri University in 1990. Dr. Maheshwaris research interests are the isolation, characterization and application of useful microorganisms for crop productivity and protection, bioremediation of saline soils, biofertilizers, biopesticides and biotechnology.
