Enhancing Biological Nitrogen Fixation

Incorporating contributions from microbiologists, molecular biologists, plant breeders and soil scientists this volume reports the results and recommendations of an FAO/IAEA meeting of twelve experts on biological nitrogen fixation. This volume will be invaluable to scientists working on nitrogen fixation, soil microbiology, agronomy and crop production as well as farm advisers and extension specialists. Maximising the Use of Biological Nitrogen Fixation in Agriculture is unique in that it: -reviews the latest thinking on various aspects of biological nitrogen fixation technology and applications; -reviews the possibilities in enhancing nitrogen fixation in various cropping systems; -shows ways how biological nitrogen fixation can be used to enhance crop production; -considers the applicability of these technologies to small farmers in developing countries.

The symposium's objectives included an appraisal of the most recent studies relating to microbiological nitrogen fixation in tropical soils, consideration of aways and means of improving management of soils and crops in tropical farming systems to increase biological nitrogen fixation, of exploring ways of concurrently improving both legumes and other hosts and their symbionts to enhance nitrogen fixation, and of recommending the research needed and means of collaborating in the research effort.

Reprinted from Plant and Soil, v.174, nos.1-2 (1995), this volume is devoted to discussions on the role of biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) in agricultural sustainability. Papers presented on BNF in crop forage and tree legumes are augmented with discussion of integrated farming systems involving BNF, soil and N management, and recycling of legume residues. BNF by non-legumes is discussed and attempts to transform cereals into nodulating plants are critically reviewed. Also described are advances in the development of new methodologies to understand symbiotic interactions and to assess N-2 fixation in the field; means of enhancing BNF through plant and soil management; breeding and selection; problems encountered in exploiting BNF under farmers' field conditions; and promising approaches to improve BNF exploitation. Lacks a subject index. Annotation copyright by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

Biological Nitrogen Fixation is a comprehensive 3 volume work bringing together both review and original research articles on key topics in nitrogen fixation. Chapters across all three volumes emphasize molecular techniques and advanced biochemical analysis approaches applicable to various aspects of biological nitrogen fixation, but each volume also has a unique focus: Volume I explores the chemistry and biochemistry of nitrogenases, nif gene regulation, the taxonomy, evolution, and genomics of nitrogen fixing organisms, as well as their physiology and metabolism. Volume II covers the symbiotic interaction of nitrogen fixing organisms with their host plants, including nodulation and symbiotic nitrogen fixation. Volume III features chapters on the "omics" of nitrogen fixing organisms and host plants, nitrogen fixing cyanobacteria and archaea, nitrogen fixing plant growth promoting rhizobacteria and non-legumes, as well as field studies and nitrogen fixation in cereals. Covering the full breadth of current nitrogen fixation research and synthesizing it to point the way forward,Biological Nitrogen Fixation will be a one-stop reference for microbial ecologists and environmental microbiologists as well as plant and agricultural researchers working on crop sustainability.

This book covers aspects of biological nitrogen fixation along with the unique signaling and interaction between the diazotrophic bacteria and plants, especially the non-legumes. Nitrogen is the most important growth-limiting nutrient in the ecosystems and biological nitrogen fixation involving microbial symbionts, mainly rhizobia and legumes holds enormous interest across the globe. However, free-living rhizobacteria of non-legumes especially cereals, also establish themselves within the root system, fixing nitrogen and contributing to plant productivity, soil fertility, and agricultural sustainability. These non-symbiotic nitrogen fixers additionally exhibit various plant growth-promoting traits elevating productivity, fortifying nutrient content, and managing water stress in plants. The recent perspectives highlighting the mechanisms and background of non-symbiotic nitrogen fixation provide answers to unravel the potential of nitrogenase and various spectra of habitats of rhizobia and other diazotrophic bacteria. Further, the application of genetic engineering and the development of nitrogen-fixing cereals can provide a possible solution to the problem of food shortage. The book includes various scientific inputs providing comprehensive knowledge about the emergence of agricultural sustainability through nitrogen-fixing bacteria. The book illustrates the systematic mechanisms involved in biological nitrogen fixation through various illustrations, schematic drawings, and flow charts aiding in better understanding. The chapters elaborate on the physiology and metabolism of plant-bacteria interaction in different crops under diverse environmental conditions. Thus, the volume will provide a holistic scenario helping in advancing the novel plant-microbe interactions, cell-signaling, and plant-molecular interactions. The book will assist the agronomists, microbiologists, ecologists, plant pathologists, molecular biologists, environmentalists, policymakers, conservationists, and NGOs to develop biofertilizers and bioinoculants using various genera of microbes and contribute to the targets of sustainable goals in an eco-friendly manner.