The Gram-positive and spore-forming Bacilli are the most dominant group of bacteria that exist in various ecological niches on the earth. They represent one of the most important unmapped pools of biodiversity with immense potential of applications in agriculture, environment, and industry. As these bacteria are highly tolerant to stressful environment and enhance plant tolerance to harsh environment such as salinity, drought, and heavy metal toxicity, plant-associated Bacilli have high potential for promoting sustainable crop production. Many species of Bacilli are being commercially used as phytostimulator and biofertilizer. Some of them are applied as biopesticide for protecting crop plants from phytopathogens and insect pests. The Bacillus-based products are becoming popular in ecologically sound and climate resilient agricultural production system. In fact, Bacillus and allied species based formulations are already dominating the biopesticides market, although, to compete with other formulations and chemical alternatives, the biology of Bacillus had to be understood from perspective of such applications. Our understanding of the biology and molecular-basis of the beneficial effects of plant-associated Bacilli has greatly been progressed in recent years through genomics, metagenomics, post-genomics and metabolomics studies. The volume two of the series Bacilli and Agrobiotechnology comprehensively reviews and updates current knowledge of Bacilli as phytostimulant and biological control of plant pests. Better understanding the biology, ecology and mechanism of action of the beneficial strains of Bacilli will play a role in the development of products to support green biotechnology in agriculture and industries.

The third volume of the series ‘Bacilli and Agrobiotechnology’ is comprised of 25 chapters that bring a unique perspective to the readers about Bacillus-mediated biotic and abiotic plant stress tolerance, bioremediation and bioprospecting. These chapters are prepared by the leading scientists of global repute. The negative impacts of agrochemicals such as chemical fertilizers and pesticides on human health and environment are paramount. Bacillus and allied genera of beneficial plant-associated microbes are presenting beacon of hope to the farmers, plant scientists and stewards of environment. Several chapters of this volume focus on the induction of various signaling pathways in plants by Bacillus spp. to alleviate biotic and abiotic stresses impacted by global climate change Agricultural lands contaminated with heavy metals affect the ecological food chain starting from crop cultivation. How the toxic effects of trace metals originating from industrial effluents and agrochemicals can be remediated? This book addresses how to overcome these issues by applying elite strains of Bacillus. Bioprospecting is a systematic and organized search for conversion of bioresources to industrially important products by utilizing microbe-derived metabolites. This volume is enriched by including the bioprospecting aspects mediated by Bacillus spp. with novel insights.

Zusammenfassung: This edited book covers the latest trends to improve soil health. It provides an easy-to-understand information to the readers. This book acts as a reference book for various agronomists and research scholars working in the field of agriculture. This edited book covers advanced technologies and practices carried out worldwide to improve soil health. In the present scenario, it is very important to save soil health and replenish it in a sustainable manner from various anthropogenic hazards. As soil is the source to almost all lives on earth and it is duty, the scientific community is developing ways to disseminate and communicate the most recent advancements to restore its health. Content of the book is designed in such a way that it provides a compressive information to the readers to restore the soil health that will ultimately help to improve the health of microbes, animals as well as plants that thrive in the soil and ultimately the quality of life of human being. This book helps research scholars and teachers working in agriculture, horticulture, and environmental management by utilizing advances in microbiology and biotechnology. It is of interest to undergraduate and graduate students, teachers, researchers, environmentalists, agriculture and horticulture scientists, capacity builders, policy makers and all other stakeholders.

Antifungal Metabolites of Rhizobacteria for Sustainable Agriculture focuses on plant health in agro-ecosystems of various economically important cash and food crops with a concern to promote sustainable agriculture. They have emerged as a key organic tool for enhancing yields. In a natural environment the interactions between plants and phytopathogenic fungi are complex and survival requires a development of resistance to plant diseases. Diversity of Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPR) diversity depends on the nature of root exudates and soil conditions that affect their interaction with host plants. Novel strategies, such as, applying bioactive natural products against the pathogenic fungus are required to control disease sustainably. Various classes of secondary metabolites including lipopeptides, macrolides, alkaloids, terpenoids and phenolics from microorganisms and plants strongly suppress fungal growth and can also be effective in controlling plant diseases both in vitro and in vivo. The modes of actions of some potential antifungal secondary metabolites against pathogenic fungus are also discussed. Eco-friendly fungal species and their metabolites are excellent agents used for regulating various fungal and bacterial phytopathogens and may have tremendous potential for other applications, and play a key role in enhancing plant tolerance to stress. Antifungal Metabolites of Rhizobacteria for Sustainable Agriculture also covers bovine-based formulations used for sustainable production and nutritional security through horticultural crops, thereby addressing the problems associated with malnutrition and under-nutrition encountered by small and marginal farmers, as well as by families facing resource constraints. These techniques can also improve breathable air, drinkable water, and consumable foods. This book addresses the need to mitigate the health problems of people via organic crop production and to improve the socio-economic status of farmers (especially in developing countries), and to revitalize agricultural sustainability.

This second volume of a two-volume work reviews beneficial bioactive compounds from various microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi, cyanobacteria in plant diseases management and the postharvest management of fruits using microbial antagonists. Furthermore, it reviews the impact of climate change on food security and addressed the legal aspects of microbial biocontrol applications. The two-volume work “Microbial Biocontrol” introduces to mechanisms of plant-microbe interactions and explores latest strategies of how microbes can be applied in biocontrol and management of plant pathogens, replacing chemical fertilizers and pesticides. The book covers different groups of microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi, but also the interplay of entire microbiomes, and reviews their specific benefits in crop growth promotion, in enhancing the plants’ tolerance against biotic and abiotic stress as well as in post-harvest management of various plant diseases. Novel tools such as CRISPR/Cas9 and microbe derived nanoparticles are also addressed besides the legal aspects of biocontrol applications. Today, rising global population and changing climatic conditions emerge as a major challenge for agronomist farmers and researchers in fulfilling the requirements of global food production. The conventional agricultural practices utilize undistributed use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides to enhance growth and yield of agricultural products and fresh foods, but their extensive and continuous use have led to a range of negative consequences on the food quality and safety, to environment as well as to human and animal health. Microbial biocontrol applications are presented as a solution, paving the way to a sustainable agriculture in compliance with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). The book addresses researchers in academia and agriculture.

Agricultural biostimulants are a group of substances or microorganisms, based on natural resources, that are applied to plants or soils to improve nutrient uptake and plant growth, and provide better tolerance to various stresses. Their function is to stimulate the natural processes of plants, or to enrich the soil microbiome to improve plant growth, nutrition, abiotic and/or biotic stress tolerance, yield and quality of crop plants. Interest in plant biostimulants has been on the rise over the past 10 years, driven by the growing interest of researchers and farmers in environmentally-friendly tools for improved crop performance. Improved crop production technologies are urgently needed to meet the growing demand for food for the ever-increasing global population by addressing the impacts of changing climate on agriculture. This book is of interest to researchers in agriculture, agronomy, crop and plant science, soil science and environmental science.

A comprehensive, practical text which covers a diverse range of hydroponic and protected cropping techniques, systems, greenhouse types and environments. It also details the use of indoor plant factories, vertical systems, organic hydroponics and aquaponics. Worldwide hydroponic cropping operations can vary from large, corporate producers running many hectares of greenhouse systems particularly for crops such as tomato, cucumber, capsicum and lettuce, to smaller-scale growers growing fresh produce for local markets.