Microbial Biostimulants for Sustainable Agriculture and Environmental Bioremediation

Today, the agriculture industry is confronted with simultaneous issues of how to fully embrace mass production of safer food in terms of both quality and quantity. Most industries are concerned with avoiding significant levels of soil pollution and environmental threats as a result of the excessive and harmful use of synthetic products on crops. Therefore, there is a need to adopt sustainable technological innovations that can ensure the sustainability of agricultural production systems. Microbial Biostimulants for Sustainable Agriculture and Environmental Bioremediation discusses the benefits, challenges, and practical applications of eco-friendly biotechnological techniques using biostimulants derived from beneficial microorganisms. The chapters cover the use of these organisms to increase crop production, enhance soil fertility and maintain soil health, create crop and plant tolerance to different abiotic stressors, release required nutrients to the soil, increase resistance to plant pathogens/pests, improve nutrient use efficiency of crops, and rejuvenate polluted environments. FEATURES Explores the physiological, morpho-anatomical, and biochemical molecular plant rejoinders involved in stimulating crop productivity Provides information on the physiological, cellular, and molecular modes of action underlying microbial biostimulant interfaces Summarizes methods and approaches for executing microbial stimulant technology Outlines numerous environmental management and remediation strategies This book is an ideal resource for researchers, engineers, and academics working in soil science, crop science, water remediation, microbiology, and biotechnology. Cover Half Title Title Page Copyright Page Table of Contents Preface Editors Contributors Chapter 1 Microbial Biostimulants for Tolerance to Abiotic and Biotic Stress in Mushrooms 1.1 Introduction 1.2 PGPR Interactions with Mycorrhizal Fungi 1.3 PGPR Interactions with Cultivable Mushrooms 1.4 Fungal-Azospirillum Interactions 1.5 Conclusions Acknowledgments References Chapter 2 Microbial Biostimulants for the Management of Insect Pests and Diseases 2.1 Introduction 2.2 History, Concept and Definitions of Biostimulants 2.3 Classification of Biostimulants 2.3.1 Humic and Fulvic Acids 2.3.2 Protein Hydrolysates Together with a Few Nitrogen-Containing Compounds 2.3.3 Plant Disease Management through Induced Systemic Resistance - Use of Microbial Biostimulants 2.3.3.1 Fungi Strains as Biostimulants in the Management of Plant Diseases 2.3.3.2 Use of Bacterial Biostimulants for the Management of Plant Diseases 2.3.4 Microbial Biostimulants for the Management of Insect Pests 2.3.4.1 Entomopathogenic Fungi 2.3.4.2 Entomopathogenic Bacteria 2.3.4.3 Entomopathogenic Viruses 2.4 Conclusions References Chapter 3 Managing Insect Pests Using Microbial Biostimulants as Insecticides 3.1 Background 3.1.1 Plant-Endophyte Interactions 3.1.2 Biostimulants and Microbial Biostimulants 3.1.3 Plant-Protecting Mechanism of Microbial Biostimulants 3.2 Microbial Biostimulants Protecting Plants against Insect Pests 3.3 Scope of Transgenic Microbial Biostimulants for Insect Pest Management 3.4 Limitations and Future Viewpoints for Microbial Biostimulants Application 3.5 Conclusions References Chapter 4 Microbial Biostimulants as Fungicides against Root-Borne Pathogens 4.1 Microbial Biostimulants 4.2 Human and Environmental Safety Index 4.3 Categories of Microbial Biostimulants 4.4 Beneficial Fungi 4.5 Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF) 4.6 Mechanism of Disease Suppression by AMF 4.7 Increased Uptake of Nutrition 4.8 Interaction of Soil Microbial Population 4.9 Compensation of Root Damage 4.10 Competition with the Pathogen for Space 4.11 Competition with the Pathogen for Host Photosynthates 4.12 AMF as a Bioprotectant 4.13 Beneficial Bacteria 4.14 Rhizobia 4.15 Rhizobia as a Biocontrol Agent 4.16 Biocontrol Mechanisms Involved by Rhizobia 4.17 Production of Antibiotics 4.18 Production of HCN 4.19 Production of Siderophores 4.20 Production of Phytoalexins 4.21 Biocontrol Agents 4.22 Trichoderma 4.23 Mechanism of Biocontrol by Trichoderma 4.24 Competition 4.25 Antibiosis 4.26 Mycoparasitism References Chapter 5 Agronomical, Physiological, and Biochemical Effects as well as the Changes in Mineral Composition of Crops Treated with Microbial-Based Biostimulants 5.1 Introduction 5.2 Microbial Stimulants 5.3 PGPR-Mediated Improvement in Plant Growth: Mechanism of Action 5.4 Nutrient Acquisition 5.5 Nitrogen Fixation 5.6 Phosphorus Solubilization 5.7 Organic Acids Production 5.8 Inorganic Acids Production 5.9 Bettered ACC Deaminase Activity and Indole Acetic Acid (IAA) Generation 5.10 Bettered Manganese (Mn) and Iron (Fe) Bioavailability 5.11 Siderophores Production 5.12 Development of Abiotic Stress Tolerance in Plants by Microbial Stimulants 5.13 PGPR-Mediated Drought Tolerance 5.14 PGPR Role in Salinity Tolerance 5.15 Heavy Metal Tolerance in Plants due to Microbial Biostimulants References Chapter 6 Microbial Biostimulants in Protecting against Nematodes 6.1 Introduction 6.2 Bacterial Biostimulants in Protecting Plants against Nematodes 6.2.1 Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria 6.2.2 Genus Pasteuria 6.3 Fungal Biostimulants in Protecting Plants against Nematodes 6.3.1 Mycorrhizal Fungi 6.3.2 Endophytic Fungi 6.3.3 Genus Trichoderma 6.4 Conclusions References Chapter 7 Nitrogen-Fixing Biofertilizers and Biostimulants 7.1 Introduction 7.2 Classification of Biofertilizers and Biostimulants 7.3 Role of Biofertilizers and Biostimulants in Sustainable Agriculture 7.3.1 Biofertilizers 7.3.2 Biostimulants 7.4 Nitrogen-Fixing Biofertilizers 7.4.1 Bacterial Biofertilizers 7.4.1.1 Azotobacter 7.4.1.2 Azospirillum 7.4.1.3 Rhizobium 7.4.2 Algal Biofertilizers 7.4.2.1 Blue Green Algae (Cyanobacteria) 7.4.3 Fungal Biofertilizers 7.4.3.1 Mycorrhizae 7.4.3.2 Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi 7.4.3.3 Fungal Organisms as Phosphate and Potassium Solubilizers 7.5 Nitrogen-Fixing Biostimulants 7.5.1 Humic Substances 7.5.2 Protein Hydrolysates and Amino Acids 7.5.3 Seaweed Extract 7.6 Conclusions and Future Prospects References Chapter 8 Microbial Biostimulants and their Role in Environmental Bioremediation 8.1 Introduction 8.2 Environmental Pollution: An Overview 8.3 Biostimulants 8.4 Microbe-Based Bioremediation: An Overview 8.4.1 Heavy Metals 8.4.2 Organic Pollutants 8.5 Role of Microbial Biostimulants in Bioremediation 8.5.1 Biostimulant Bacteria 8.5.2 Biostimulant Fungi 8.5.3 Consortium of Microbes 8.6 Mechanism of Action 8.7 Commercialization of Microbial Biostimulants: Potential and Challenges 8.7.1 Formulation and Shelf Life 8.7.2 Survival and Establishment of Microbial Products 8.8 Conclusions References Chapter 9 Microbial Biostimulants in Bioremediation Process for Treatment of Municipal Solid Waste 9.1 Introduction 9.2 Municipal Solid Waste 9.3 Bioremediation and Microbial Biostimulants 9.3.1 Bioremediation Process: Principle, Types, and Benefits 9.3.2 Microbial Biostimulant 9.4 Microbial Biostimulants in the Bioreactor Landfill 9.5 Microbial Biostimulants for Bioremediation of Landfill Leachate 9.6 Microbial Biostimulants for Composting 9.7 Conclusions References Chapter 10 Microbial Biostimulants for Bioremediation of Organic and Inorganic Compound 10.1 Introduction 10.2 Environmental Pollution 10.2.1 Inorganic Compounds 10.2.2 Organic Compounds 10.3 Environmental Remediation 10.3.1 Conventional Methods 10.3.2 Bioremediation 10.4 Microbes-Dependent Cleaning System 10.4.1 Bioremediation 10.4.1.1 By Adsorption 10.4.1.2 By Biodegradation 10.4.1.3 By Biotransformation 10.4.1.4 By Biosorption 10.4.1.5 By Bioaugmentation 10.4.1.6 By Phytoremediation 10.5 Microbial Bioremediation 10.5.1 External Factors 10.5.1.1 pH 10.5.1.2 Temperature 10.5.1.3 Bioavailability 10.5.2 Microbial Degradation of Organic and Inorganic Compounds 10.5.2.1 Water 10.5.2.2 Soil 10.5.2.3 Food Industry 10.5.2.4 Oil Industry 10.5.2.5 Others 10.6 Promising Techniques in Bioremediation Based on Microorganisms 10.6.1 Genetic Engineering 10.6.2 Biosensors 10.6.3 Advanced Oxidation Processes Combined with Microorganisms 10.7 Conclusions References Chapter 11 Microbial Biostimulants for the Bioremediation of Petroleum-Contaminated Environments 11.1 Introduction 11.2 How Biostimulation Can Address Obstacles to Anaerobic Degradation 11.3 Examples of Biostimulating Agents and Their Effects on Anaerobic Degradation 11.4 How Biostimulation Can Address Obstacles to Aerobic Degradation 11.5 Examples of Biostimulating Agents and Their Effects on Aerobic Degradation 11.6 Summary References Chapter 12 Commercial Bacterial and Fungal Microbial Biostimulants Used for Agriculture in India: An Overview 12.1 Introduction 12.2 Regulations for Biostimulants in India 12.3 Biofertilizers 12.3.1 Nitrogen-Fixing Bacteria 12.3.1.1 Rhizobium 12.3.1.2 Azotobacter 12.3.1.3 Azospirillum 12.3.1.4 Acetobacter 12.3.2 Mineral-Solubilizing Bacteria 12.3.2.1 Phosphate-Solubilizing Bacteria 12.3.2.2 Potassium-Solubilizing Bacteria 12.3.2.3 Zinc-Solubilizing Bacteria 12.3.2.4 Silicate-Solubilizing Bacteria 12.3.2.5 Siderophore-Producing Bacteria 12.3.2.6 Lignocellulolytic Bacteria 12.4 Biocontrol Agents 12.4.1 Pseudomonas Fluorescens 12.4.2 Bacillus sp 12.4.3 Trichoderma sp 12.5 Popularization of Microbial Stimulants 12.6 Conclusions Acknowledgements References Chapter 13 Microbial Biostimulants for Crop Production: Industry Advances, Bottlenecks, and Future Prospects 13.1 Introduction 13.2 Concepts, Definitions, and Terminologies 13.3 Overview of Microbial Biostimulants 13.4 Formulation and Commercialization of Microbial Biostimulants 13.5 Bottlenecks in the Industry 13.5.1 Product Quality 13.5.2 Production Cost 13.5.3 Regulatory Issues 13.5.4 Shelf life 13.5.5 Biosafety of Products 13.5.6 Farmer Perceptions and Acceptability 13.5.7 Variability of Performance 13.6 Future Perspectives 13.7 Concluding Remarks Funding References Chapter 14 Microbial Biostimulants for Plant Protection against Phyllosphere Pathogens 14.1 Introduction 14.2 Role of the Host Species 14.2.1 Specificity 14.2.2 Cultivar Differences 14.3 Role of Biocontrol Bacteria 14.3.1 Taxonomic Analyses of Phyllosphere Microbes 14.4 Bacterial Biodiversity 14.4.1 Native Phyllosphere Bacteria 14.4.2 Introduced Biocontrol Bacteria 14.5 Bacterial Richness 14.5.1 Quorum Sensing in the Phyllosphere 14.5.2 Dynamics of Leaf Microbial Communities 14.6 Optimization of Pathogen Biocontrol Efficacy 14.6.1 Mode of Action 14.6.1.1 Colonization 14.6.1.2 Secondary Metabolites 14.6.1.3 Biocontrol Genes 14.6.2 Monitoring of Biocontrol Microbes 14.6.3 Other Biocontrol Species References Index