Microbial Strategies for Crop Improvement (eBook)

Microbial Strategies for Crop Improvement 2
Foreword 5
Preface 5
Contents 11
The Editors 13
Contributors 15
Chapter 1: The Use of Microorganisms to Facilitate the Growth of Plants in Saline Soils 19
Introduction 19
Mechanisms Used by Plant Growth-Promoting Bacteria 21
Mechanisms Used by Plant Growth-Promoting Fungi 22
Amelioration of Salt Stress by Plant Growth-Promoting Bacteria 26
Amelioration of Salt Stress by Plant Growth-Promoting Fungi 28
Examples of Generating Salt Tolerance with Bacteria and Mycorrhizae 31
Conclusion 33
References 33
Chapter 2: Recent Advances in Plant Growth Promotion by Phosphate-Solubilizing Microbes 41
Introduction 41
Strategies for Isolation and Inoculant Development 43
Mechanisms of P-Solubilization: A General Account 45
Enzymatic Dissolution of Phosphates by Phosphate-Solubilizing Microbes 48
Mechanism of Plant Growth Promotion by P-Solubilizing Microbes 49
Phosphate-Solubilizing Microbes as Bio-Control Agent 50
Molecular Engineering of P-Solubilizing Bacteria 52
Crop Improvement by P-Solubilizing Microbes 54
Inoculation Effects of Phosphate-Solubilizing Bacteria 54
Inoculation Effects of Phosphate-Solubilizing Fungi 57
Conclusion 60
References 60
Chapter 3: Developing Beneficial Microbial Biofilms on Roots of Non legumes: A Novel Biofertilizing Technique 69
Introduction 70
Effects of Beneficial Microbial Biofilms 71
Developing Beneficial Biofilms on Roots of Non legumes 71
Effects of Biofilmed Biofertilizers on Plant Growth and Yield 74
Conclusion 78
References 79
Chapter 4: Role of 1-Aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate deaminase in Rhizobium-Legume Symbiosis 81
Introduction 82
Rhizobia-Legume Symbiosis: An Overview 83
Effect of Ethylene on Symbiosis 85
Rhizobial Strategies for Decreasing Ethylene Levels 87
Genes Involved in the Synthesis of ACC Deaminase and Nodulation Enhancement 90
Performance of ACC Deaminase Containing Transgenic Plants/Rhizobia 92
Conclusion 94
References 95
Chapter 5: Strategies for Crop Improvement in Contaminated Soils Using Metal-Tolerant Bioinoculants 102
Introduction 102
Heavy Metals 103
Origin of the Contamination in Soils 103
Heavy Metal Toxicity to Plants 104
Mechanisms of Metal Toxicity in Microorganisms 105
Influence of Bacteria on Heavy Metal Bioavailability 106
Heavy Metal Resistance Systems in Bacteria 107
Heavy Metal Remediation 107
Bioremediation 108
Biosorption 109
Biosorption by Fungi 110
Biosorption by Algae 110
Biosorption by Bacteria 110
Bioaccumulation 111
Siderophores 112
Tracking the Insights of Bioremediation Using Proteomics/ Genomics 113
Proteomic Studies for the Cellular Responses to Cd2+ in Microorganism 113
Differential Gene Expression Under Cadmium Stress 115
Conclusion 115
References 117
Chapter 6: Functional Diversity Among Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria: Current Status 122
Introduction 122
Rhizosphere and Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria 123
Search for Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria 124
Mechanism of Growth Promotion by Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria 125
Plant Growth Regulators 128
Phytohormones 129
Biosynthesis of Indole Acetic Acid 129
Siderophores 130
Siderophore Production by Microorganisms 133
Chemical and Biological Properties of Siderophores 133
Mineral Phosphate Solubilizing Activity 135
Growth Modulation Enzyme 136
Antibiotics Production by Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria 137
Hydrogen Cyanide Production 139
Production of Lytic Enzymes 139
Performance of Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria in Metal-Contaminated Soils 140
Conclusion and Future Prospects 141
References 142
Chapter 7: Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria and Sustainable Agriculture 150
Introduction 150
Mechanisms of Action 152
Fixation, Mobilization and Uptake of Nutrients 154
Production of Plant Growth-Regulating Substances 155
Biological Control 156
Multiple Mechanisms of Action 157
Application of PGPR in Agriculture 157
Effect of PGPR on Plant Growth 158
PGPR in Stress Agriculture 164
PGPR for Bioremediation 168
Formulations of Effective Biofertilizers 168
Conclusion 169
References 170
Chapter 8: Soil Health - A Precondition for Crop Production 178
Introduction 178
Soil Health Concept 180
Soil Health Indicators and Criteria for Selection 181
Significance of Soil Health Indicators 182
Approaches Used to Diagnose Soil Health 184
Methodology for Selection of Master Indicators 184
Data screening, Representative Variables and Redundancy 184
MDS Validation and Indicator Transformation (Scoring) 185
Indicator Integration Into Indices 185
Soil Health and Its Importance 185
Crop Production 185
Crop Quality 186
Production Sustainability 187
Human Health 187
Animal Health 188
Environmental Health 188
Problems in Agricultural Practices 189
Lack of Good Soil Husbandry 189
Agricultural Intensification and Inappropriate Cropping System 189
Blanket Application of Agrochemicals 190
Reduction in Agricultural Biodiversity/Monoculture 190
Heavy Vehicle Traffic and Indiscriminate Use of Sewage Sludge 190
Lack of Appropriate Soil Testing and Diagnostic Protocol 191
Insufficient Awareness Among Farmers About Soil Health 191
Lack of Proper Legislation and Contractual Farming 191
Government Policy 192
Soil Health Management 192
Crop Rotation and Organic Amendments 192
Cover crops and Tillage Conservation 193
Agricultural Diversification 194
Selection of Right Cropping System 194
Tailoring of Existing Cropping System 195
Farming System Diversification 195
Organic Husbandry 195
Soil-Based Fertilizer and Development of Farmer´s Friendly Indicator 196
Legislation for Soil Health Protection 196
Conclusion 197
References 197
Chapter 9: Recent Advances in Biopesticides 202
Introduction 202
Shade of Biopesticide 203
Types of Biopesticides 204
Microbial Pesticides 204
Bacteria 204
Mode of Action 205
Virus 206
Mode of Action 207
Entomopathogenic Fungi 207
Mode of Action 208
Nematodes 209
Mode of Action 209
Entomopathogenic Protozoa and Microsporida 210
Plant Incorporated Protectants 210
Botanicals 210
Biochemical Pesticides 211
Allellochemicals 211
Sex Pheromones 212
Potentials and Constraints of Biopesticides 212
Advantages of Using Biopesticides 213
Constraints in the Promotion of Biopesticides 214
Technological 214
Financial 214
Extension Related 214
Regulatory/Statutory 214
Biopesticides Global Scenario 214
Biopesticide Production 215
Use of Genetic-Engineering Technology 215
Engineering Biological Control Agents 215
Engineering Crop Plants 216
Biopesticide Regulations 216
Biopesticide Commercialization 216
Conclusion 218
References 219
Chapter 10: Benefits of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi to Sustainable Crop Production 221
Introduction 221
Principles of Crop Responsiveness to Mycorrhiza 223
Mycorrhiza in Agro-ecosystems 226
Occurrence 226
Mycorrhiza-Friendly Management in Sustainable Plant-Soil Production Systems 227
Specifics of Mycorrhiza Applications in Horticultural Crop Production 230
Drawbacks and Potentials of Mycorrhizal Applications in Sustainable Agriculture 231
Conclusion 234
References 235
Chapter 11: Enhancement of Rhizobia-Legumes Symbioses and Nitrogen Fixation for Crops Productivity Improvement 242
Introduction 242
Molecular and Genetic Mechanisms Controlling the Symbiosis 245
Selection of Effective Symbiotic Rhizobia 248
Selection of Symbiotic Rhizobia from Crop and Wild Legumes 249
Rhizobia from Crop Legumes 249
Rhizobia from Wild Legumes 250
Selection of Symbiotic Rhizobia Tolerant to Various Abiotic Stresses 253
The Problem of Soil Salinity 253
Free-Living and Symbiotic Rhizobia Under Abiotic Stress 253
Symbiotic N2 Fixation of Legumes Under Abiotic Stresses 255
Improvement of Inoculation Technology 259
Breeding and Selection for Enhanced N2 Fixation in Crop Legumes 261
Conclusion 262
References 264
Chapter 12: Monitoring the Development of Nurse Plant Species to Improve the Performances of Reforestation Programs in 270
Introduction 271
Impacts of ``Nurse Plant Species´´ on Soil Microbial Functionalities and AM Fungus Communities 272
Response of Cupressus sp. Growth to the ``Nurse´´ Plant Effects 275
Conclusion 277
References 277
Chapter 13: Pea Cultivation in Saline Soils: Influence of Nitrogen Nutrition 281
Introduction 281
Nitrogen Nutrition Under Salt Stress 282
Cell Ionic Status 282
Nitrogen as a Plant Macronutrient 283
Inorganic Nitrogen Nutrition 283
N2 Fixation and Plant Nutrition 284
N2 Fixation in Plants Under Salinity Stress 284
Plant Growth Under Salt Stress 286
Growth in Saline Conditions 286
Nitrogen Nutrition and Growth Under Salinity 287
Salinity and Nitrogen Nutrition Influence on Productivity 288
The Importance of Seeds 288
Seed Production 289
Seed Protein Content 290
Salinity Influence and Nitrogen Nutrition on Ion Accumulation 291
Vegetative Organs 291
Seeds 295
Conclusion and Future Prospects 296
References 297
Chapter 14: Plant Growth-Promoting Diazotrophs and Productivity of Wheat on the Canadian Prairies 301
Introduction 302
Wheat in Canada 302
Nitrogen Use in Wheat Production 302
Nitrogen Fixation and Non legume Plants 303
Plant Growth-Promoting Effects of Diazotrophs 304
Beneficial Effects of Rhizobia in Non legume Crops 305
Trials with A. caulinodans in Alberta, Canada 306
Monitoring of Introduced Microbes in Field Soils 309
Native Canadian Rhizobia and Wheat Production 310
Conclusion 312
References 312
Chapter 15: Factors Affecting the Variation of Microbial Communities in Different Agro-Ecosystems 315
Introduction 315
Microbial Community Structure and Functional Analysis 317
Factors Causing Change in Microbial Community Structure and Function 320
Rhizosphere, Root Exudates and Soil pH 321
Soil Management Practices 326
Tillage 326
Nutrient Management 327
Impact of Seasonal Variations 328
Pesticides 329
Resilience of Microbial Communities 330
Conclusion 331
References 332
Chapter 16: Strategies for Utilizing Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi and Phosphate-Solubilizing Microorganisms for Enhance 339
Introduction 340
Phosphate Fertilizer Management 341
Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Pi-Uptake 343
Phosphate-Solubilizing Microorganisms 344
Mechanisms of Microbial Pi-Solubilization 347
Role of Organic Acids in Pi-Solubilization 350
Interactive Effect of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi and Phosphate-Solubilizing Microbes on Plant Pi-Uptake 352
Microbial Pi-Solubilization in Temperate and Tropical Soils 355
Conclusion 358
References 358
Index 366