About the Book
This book will address all the major mechanisms by which microbiomes are thought to impact plant growth and health. A unique aspect of this publication is that it is multidisciplinary, covering plant microbiology, plant physiology, fungal and bacterial endophytes, plant biochemistry, and genomics. Just as research on the mammalian microbiome has demonstrated its importance for overall health of the host, the plant microbiota is essential for plant health in natural environments.
Endophytes, the microorganisms living fully within plants, can provide a multitude of benefits to the host including N-fixation, P solubilization, increased photosynthetic efficiency and water use efficiency, stress tolerance, pathogen resistance, and overall increased growth and health. A variety of culturable endophytes have been isolated and shown to be mutualistic symbionts with a broad range of plant species. These studies point to the functional importance of the microbiota of plants and suggest the potential for tailoring plant microbiota for improved vigor and yields with reduced inputs.
This book will cover the major benefits of microbial endophytes to plants and discusses the implications of using symbiosis as an alternative to chemical inputs for agriculture, forestry, and bioenergy.
Key Features
Many books only focus on few aspects of plant microbe interaction and missed the microbial genomics and omics. They also miss the recent advances in microbial ecology under stressful environment.
Courses taught in universities from basics to advanced level in field of plant breeding, molecular genetics and agronomy this book will be used
Our book covers many of the aspects of microbial ecology including omics, genomics and sequencing techniques in the current era of climate change.
Our book emphasizes the use of modern molecular tools such as smart delivery systems for microbial inoculation, next-generation sequencing and genome mapping
Discusses the crop microbiome, nutrient cycling microbes, endophytes, mycorrhizae, and various pests and diseases, and their roles in sustainable farming
Table of Contents:
ch. 1 Functional role of plant associated microbiomes under climatic extremes: Recent advances and insights
Ayesha Imran, Noor Fatima, Fatima Malik, Mahnoor Malik, Khadija Amjad, Salman Rasool, Aqsa Akram, Shanza Kiran and Zeeshan Khan
ch. 2 Mycorrhizae for Steering Environmental Stresses
Fayaz Ali, Nazish Huma Khan, Amjad Ur Rehman, Nida Gul, Muhammad Ilyas
ch. 3 Engineering Fungal Endophytes as a Future Tool for Climate-Resilient Plants
Tehsin Fatma, Danish Ilyas Baig, Oushna Fajer, Isra Farooq, Laiba Amin, Nabia Khan, Muhammad Faraz Bhatti
ch. 4 Artificial selection of microbial communities for engineering abiotic stresses in plants
Tariq Shah, Zeeshan Khan, Fozia Saeed, Fazal Munsif, Roberto D’amato
ch. 5 Chemical communication in the rhizosphere: Phytohormone perspective
Wiqar Ahmad, Jaya Nepal
ch. 6 Microbial Genomics in Crop Improvement and Soil Health
Faiz Ullah, Nisar Ahmad, Najla Khadim, Fazal Akbar, Nisar Ahmad, Muhammad Rizwan, Mohammad Ali, Haji Khan, Muhammad Nazir Uddin, Ishtiaq Hassan
ch. 7 Biotic interaction in the rhizosphere
Tariq Shah, Zeeshan Khan, Fozia Saeed
ch. 8 Omics Tools for Developing Climate Smart Crops: Current Status and Future Prospects
Muhammad Kamran, Hina Javed
ch. 9 Root Exudates and their feedback effect on plant microbiome
Bushra, Shafia Maryam
ch. 10 The Role of Nutrient Input in Shaping Soil Microbial Functional Profiles: A Comprehensive Review
Aqsa Akram, Shah Rukh khan, Noor Fatima, Mahnoor Malik, Fatima Malik, Khadija Amjad, Ayesha Imran, Salman Rasool, Rida Naseer, Nimra Qureshi, and Zeeshan Khan
ch. 11 Transgenic plants and microbial dynamics
Zulqarnain Haider, Hina Javed, Awais Riaz
ch. 12 Phyllosphere microbiome: recent prospectus and application
Zeeshan Khan, Ayesha Imran, Aqsa Akram, Khadija Amjad, Salman Rasool and Shanza Kiran
ch. 13 Cover crops: Role in soil biogeochemistry and interaction with microbes
Jaya Nepal, Wiqar Ahmad
ch. 14 Biochar Augmentation Response and Soil Microbiome: A Sustainable Approach
Fatima Malik, Nimra Qureshi, Rida Naseer, Aqsa Akram, Shah Rukh khan, Mahnoor Malik, Ayesha Imran, Noor Fatima, Zeeshan Khan, Khadija Amjad, and Salman Rasool
About the Author :
Tariq Shah is presently working as a research associate in University of Agriculture Peshawar. He completed his Master's degree from the Department of Agronomy, University of Agriculture Peshawar, Pakistan. He also visited China for research purposes. His research work involves plant stress physiology, plant microbe interaction coping with weather adversity and adaptation to climatic variability. He has published more than 16 articles in peer-reviewed journals and 14 chapters. He is currently editing a book entitled Brassica Species Production under Climatic Extremes, Springer Beijing. He is a reviewer for more than 10 peer-reviewed international journals and was a recipient of the Elsevier Peer Review Award 2020. He has also organized two national and three international conferences in Pakistan. He has ongoing collaboration is with different countries including China, Taiwan, Germany, and the USA in plant stress physiology. He is also the recipient of several awards from Higher Education Commission.
Fazal Munsif is a professor in the Department of Plant Protection, Agricultural University Peshawar. He has completed course work in PhD studies and research synopsis has been approved by the Board of Study from the department and successfully completed course work and dissertation. He has more than three years experience as Research Officer (BS-17) in plant physiology section at ARI Tarnab Peshawar since 12.12.2007 to 11/05/2011. His areas of specialization include Agronomy and Dual Purpose Wheat Production. He’s received the 1st Position in the Department in B.Sc. (Hons), and the 1st Position in the Department in M.Sc. (Hons).
Muhammad Arif is a professor in the Department of Agronomy, The University of Agriculture, Peshawar. He received his Post Doctorate in 2009 (UK) and his PhD in 2005 (Pakistan), and his areas of specialization include Seed priming, Biochar, and Crop Nutrition. Research projects he’s been involved in include the Performance of Wheat Varieties and Purification of Local Variety at DI Khan, and Maize seed priming with nutrient solution for improving germination, emergence and yield. He’s received multiple awards and honors, including the Silver Medal (M.Sc.(Hons)1999) by obtaining 2nd position at the University level, and the Award of Higher Education Commission (HEC) Indigenous PhD scholarship for for Ph.D. studies. He has been working as convener Shop Allotment Committee of the University of Agriculture, Peshawar since August, 2014, and as Director Farms, the University of Agriculture, Peshawar since August, 2015.
Roberto D’Amato is a Technician in the Department of Economics and Food Sciences at the Università degli Studi di Perugia, and is affiliated with UNIPG, Department of Environmental and Agricultural Sciences. As an agricultural chemist, he is interested in the study of the effects of biofortification with selenium on the crops of agricultural interest and their products.
