This volume explores the various functions and potential applications of mycorrhizas, including topics such as the dynamics of root colonization, soil carbon sequestration and the function of mycorrhizas in extreme environments. Some contributions focus on the use of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in various crop production processes, including soil management practices, their use as biofertilizers and in relation to medicinal plants. Other chapters elucidate the role of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in the alleviation of plant water stress and of heavy metal toxicity, in the remediation of saline soils, in mining-site rehabilitation and in the reforestation of degraded tropical forests. In addition to their impact in ecosystems, the economic benefits of applying arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi are discussed. A final chapter describes recent advances in the cultivation of edible mycorrhizal mushrooms.
The most up-to-date reference on phytomicrobiomes available today The Plant Microbiome in Sustainable Agriculture combines the most relevant and timely information available today in the fields of nutrient and food security. With a particular emphasis on current research progress and perspectives of future development in the area, The Plant Microbiome in Sustainable Agriculture is an invaluable reference for students and researchers in the field, as well as those with an interest in microbiome research and development. The book covers both terrestrial and crop associated microbiomes, unveiling the biological, biotechnological and technical aspects of research. Topics discussed include: Developing model plant microbiome systems for various agriculturally important crops Defining core microbiomes and metagenomes in these model systems Defining synthetic microbiomes for a sustainable increase in food production and quality The Plant Microbiome in Sustainable Agriculture is written to allow a relative neophyte to learn and understand the basic concepts involved in phytomicrobiomes and discuss them intelligently with colleagues.
Functional Diversity of Mycorrhiza and Sustainable Agriculture is the first book to present the core concepts of working with Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi to improve agricultural crop productivity. Highlighting the use of indigenous AM fungi for agriculture, the book includes details on how to maintain and promote AM fungal diversity to improve sustainability and cost-effectiveness. As the need to improve production while restricting scarce inputs and preventing environmental impacts increases, the use of AMF offers an important option for exploiting the soil microbial population. It can enhance nutrient cycling and minimize the impacts of biotic and abiotic stresses, such as soil-borne disease, drought, and metal toxicity. The book offers land managers, policymakers, soil scientists, and agronomists a novel approach to utilizing soil microbiology in improving agricultural practices. - Provides a new approach to exploiting the benefits of mycorrhizas for sustainable arable agricultural production using indigenous AMF populations and adopting appropriate crop production techniques - Bridges the gap between soil microbiology, including increasing knowledge of mycorrhiza and agronomy - Presents real-world practical insights and application-based results, including a chapter focused primarily on case studies - Includes extensive illustrative diagrams and photographs
Mycorrhizal Mediation of Soil: Fertility, Structure, and Carbon Storage offers a better understanding of mycorrhizal mediation that will help inform earth system models and subsequently improve the accuracy of global carbon model predictions. Mycorrhizas transport tremendous quantities of plant-derived carbon below ground and are increasingly recognized for their importance in the creation, structure, and function of soils. Different global carbon models vary widely in their predictions of the dynamics of the terrestrial carbon pool, ranging from a large sink to a large source. This edited book presents a unique synthesis of the influence of environmental change on mycorrhizas across a wide range of ecosystems, as well as a clear examination of new discoveries and challenges for the future, to inform land management practices that preserve or increase below ground carbon storage. - Synthesizes the abundance of research on the influence of environmental change on mycorrhizas across a wide range of ecosystems from a variety of leading international researchers - Focuses on the specific role of mycorrhizal fungi in soil processes, with an emphasis on soil development and carbon storage, including coverage of cutting-edge methods and perspectives - Includes a chapter in each section on future avenues for further study
Microbes are essential components of the ecosystem. Mycorrhizal fungi in the rhizosphere support or inhibit plant growth naturally. Plant growth-promoting fungi help to improve crop yield and crop sustainability in adverse environmental conditions including soil salinity, drought, high and low temperatures, and infections from pathogens and pests. Mycorrhizal fungi secrete plant growth-promoting substances, enzymes, and other metabolites, all of which play a vital role in enhancing the productivity of economically important plants. These fungi also reduce the need to use chemicals in agriculture, which helps to minimize soil pollutants. This book provides updated information on the production and utilization of mycorrhizal fungi for sustainable agriculture and forestry.
In order to feed the world, global agriculture will have to double food production by 2050. As a result, the use of soils with fertilizers and pesticides in agronomic ecosystems will increase, taking into account the sustainability of these systems and also the provision of food security. Thus, soil ecosystems, their health, and their quality are directly involved in sustainable agronomical practices, and it is important to recognize the important role of soil microbial communities such as mycorrhizal fungi, their biodiversity, interactions, and functioning. Soil ecosystems are under the threat of biodiversity loss due to an increase of cultivated areas and agronomic exploitation intensity. Also, changes in land use alter the structure and function of ecosystems where biodiversity is vital in the ecosystem. Soils are a major aid in food production in all terrestrial ecosystems; however, this means they are also involved in gas emission and global warming. Thus, in agronomic ecosystems, several mitigation practices have been proposed to promote the increase of carbon soil stock, and the reduction of warming gas emission from soils. In South America, most of the rural population depends economically on agriculture and usually works in family units. New, organic, safe, and sustainable agro-forestry practices must be applied to support local communities and countries to achieve hunger eradication, rural poverty reduction, and sustainable development. This book compiles new information for mycorrhizal occurrence in natural and anthropic environments in South America. It includes new reports of mycorrhizal fungi diversity along different mycorrhizal types and their effect on plant communities, plant invasions, the use of mycorrhizal fungi for ecological and sustainable studies, management programs of natural and agroecosystems, and forestry and food-secure production. This book fills the gaps in biodiversity knowledge, management and safe food production of mycorrhizas. It should be a valuable help to researchers, professors and students, to aid in use of mycorrhizal fungi while also focusing on their biodiversity, sustainable safe food production, and conservation perspectives.
Several studies have demonstrated that mycorrhizal associations play vital role in plant nutrition. They greatly increase the efficiency of nutrient and water uptake, enhance resistance to pathogens, and buffer plant species against several environmental stresses and drought resistance. Mycorrhizae also improve plant growth and survival in soils co
The present book highlights importance of mycorrhiza in soil genesis wherein it reflects mycorrhizal occurrence and diversity, various tools to characterize them and its impact on soil formation/health together with crop productivity. The edited compendium provides glimpses on the mycorrhizal fungi and their prominent role in nutrient transfer into host plants, and presenting view on application of mycorrhiza for crop biofortification. It focuses on the mechanisms involve in weathering process employed by mycorrhiza with highlighting the current and advanced molecular approaches for studying mycorrhizal diversity. Further, book emphasizes following aspects in details: significance of AMF in phytoremediation of hydrocarbon contaminated sites, the role of mycorrhiza in soil genesis using scientometric approach, the concept of mycorrhizosphere, xenobiotic metabolism, molecular approaches for detoxifying the organic xenobiotics and the role of mycorrhizosphere in stabilizing the environment in an eco-friendly way. In addition, the book will be benign to researchers that involved in mycorrhiza characterization especially by deploying metagenomics/PCR based and non PCR based molecular techniques that may be utilized to study the microbial diversity and structure within the mycorrhizosphere.
