Microbial Probiotics For Agricultural Systems

The book is a comprehensive compilation of the most recent advances in the practical approach of the use of microbial probiotics for agriculture. Unlike the rest of the publications about biofertilizers, this book bridges the gap between the lab studies (molecular, physiological, omics, etc.) and the agronomic application.

This book focuses on food security in sustainable agriculture and nutrient management. The study of plant probiotic microbes’ synergism using existing techniques has greatly improved our grasp of the structure and functioning of the plant microbiome. However, the function of plant probiotic microbes and their relation to plants’ health in the context of food security, soil nutrient management, human and plant health are largely unexplored. Compared to human probiotics, diverse types and millions of microbiota inhabit plants, forming multifaceted and complicated ecological societies that stimulate plant growth and health through their combined metabolic activities. From the perspective of sustainable cropping systems, observing plant probiotics can provide insights on how to stimulate and maintain plant productivity, along with host stress tolerance and recycling of soil nutrients. This book combines reviews and original research articles to highlight the latest advances in plant probiotics, their specificity, diversity, function, as well as plant microbiome management to improve plant growth and productivity, nutrient management and human health.

This book primarily focuses on microbial colonization, its role in plant growth and nutrient cycling, mycorrhizae, and providing an overview of phytospheric microorganisms in sustainable crop systems. Despite the advances made in the study of plant-microbe synergism, the relation between microbes and plant health in the context of food security, soil nutrient management, human and plant health is still largely unexplored. Addressing that gap, the book presents reviews and original research articles that highlight the latest discoveries in plant probiotics, their specificity, diversity and function. Additional sections addressing nutrient management, human health, and plant microbiome management to improve plant productivity round out the coverage.

The future of agriculture strongly depends on our ability to enhance productivity without sacrificing long-term production potential. An ecologically and economically sustainable strategy is the application of microorganisms, such as the diverse bacterial species of plant growth promoting bacteria (PGPB). The use of these bio-resources for the enhancement of crop productivity is gaining worldwide importance. "Bacteria in Agrobiology: Plant Probiotics" discusses the current trends and future prospects of beneficial microorganisms acting as Probiotics. Topics include the application for the aboveground fitness of plants, in mountain ecosystems, in tropical and Mediterranean forests, and in muga sericulture. Further aspects are Arabidopsis as a model system for the diversity and complexity of plant responses, plant parasitic nematodes, nitrogen fixation and phosphorus nutrition.

This book focuses on the use of microorganisms in relation to agriculture, aquaculture and related fields, ranging from biofertilizers to poultry production. The latest innovations are also included to provide insights into the unlimited potentials of microorganisms in these areas. Individual chapters explore topics such as probiotics in poultry, biopurification of wastewater, converting agrowastes into value-added applications and products, rice cultivation, surfactants and bacteriocin as biopreservatives, bioplastics, crop productivity, biofloc, and the production of natural antibiotics. This volume will be of particular interest to scientists, policymakers and industrial practitioners working in the fields of agriculture, aquaculture and public health.

While soil ecologists continue to be on the forefront of research on biodiversity and ecosystem function, there are few interdisciplinary studies that incorporate ecological knowledge into sustainable land management practices. Conventional, high fossil-fuel input-based agricultural systems can reduce soil biodiversity, alter soil community structu

The practice of supplementing direct fed microbial and prebiotic additives to domestic animals during growth is becoming more widespread in food animal production. Beneficial effects particularly in cattle, pigs and poultry, including improved general health, foodborne pathogen reduction, more efficient food utilization, faster growth rate and increased milk and egg production are common results. The success associated with direct fed microbial and prebiotic applications in multiple species ensures their continued commercialization and the widespread use of such additives. However, several fundamental questions remain about how and why probiotic products work, and which kind of probiotic products are best for specific production scenarios. It appears that early establishment and retention of an ecological balance in the gastrointestinal tract is an important first step for an external biological additive to be effective in young animals. Therefore, it is possible that the effectiveness of direct fed microbials and prebiotics in some animal species may only be an indirect consequence of speeding up the establishment and succession of the dominant microflora characteristic of the adult gastrointestinal tract. Consequently, an understanding of the key processes during establishment of microflora in the gastrointestinal system that lead to the subsequent fermentation characteristics and ecological balance exhibited by the highly protective microflora is needed. Several additional areas of future research directions are also suggested for further development and implementation of these biological approaches as new molecular and drug delivery technologies become available. Continued research on direct fed microbials and prebiotics in general should markedly expand their commercial applications.

Microorganisms are widely used in various beneficial applications, including food, pest control, bioremediation, biodegradation, biofuel processes, and plant symbiosis and growth stimulation. This book provides an overview of the available methodology for safety assessments of microorganisms, including determination of their infectivity and whether they produce toxic or sensitizing substances. Also covered are the regulatory systems in risk assessment and management of microbial products, quarantine legislations, international treaties, the importance of public risk perception and risk reducti