Biofertilizers and Biopesticides in Sustainable Agriculture

This new volume, Biofertilizers and Biopesticides in Sustainable Agriculture, presents strategies for the management of soil and crop diseases. Microbes have attracted worldwide attention due to their role in disease management and remediation of polluted soils. Taking a sustainable approach, this book explores the means of integrating various microbial management approaches to achieve the desired levels of crop yield under both conventional soils and neglected soils through the use of biopesticides and other botanicals as well as biomolecules. This book also presents a broad and updated view of molecular nitrogen fixation and phosphate-solubilizing and sulfur-transforming microbes for nutrition of crops in relation to the role of metal tolerant microbes in providing protection to plants grown in metal-contaminated soils.

The preparation and application of biofertilizers, utilization of household waste materials, and use of genetically modified microorganisms (GMOs) in plant growth and development are also well discussed in the volume.

1. General Introduction of Bio-Inputs vs. Chemical Inputs in Agriculture and Ill Effects 2. Bacterial Biopesticides and Their Use in Agricultural Production 3. Fungal Biopesticides and Their Uses for Control of Insect Pest and Diseases 4. Viral Biopesticides: An Effective and Environment-Friendly Approach to Control Insects 5. Control of Insect Pest Through Biomolecules and Traps 6. PGPRs for the Control of Soil-Borne Diseases 7. Botanicals and Their Application in Control of Insect Pests 8. Symbiotic Nitrogen Fixation and Pulses Yield 9. Free Living Nitrogen Fixation and Their Response to Agriculture Crops 10. Associative Nitrogen Fixation 11. Cyanobacteria and Azolla in Rice Cultivation: Improving Biological N2 Fixation System in Rice 12. Phosphorus Availability to Crops through Phosphate Solubilizing Microorganisms 13. Availability of Potash, Iron, Zinc, and Sulfur to Crop through Microbial Resources 14. Sulfur Cycle in Agricultural Soil: Microbiological Aspects 15. Utilization of Mycorrhizal Fungi in the Mobilization of Macro and Micro Nutrients to Important Pulses and Oil-Seed Crops 16. Integrated Use of Bioferilizers and Biopesticides in Crop Production 17. Fungal Bio-Pesticides: A Novel Tool for Management of Plant Parasitic Nematodes 18. Soil-Heavy Metal Toxicity Reduction by Bioagents/Living Organisms 19. Metagenomics for Soil Health 20. Use of Household Waste Materials for Biofertilizer Development 21. Genetically Modified Micro-Organisms for Sustainable Soil Health Management: A Biotechnological Approach

B. D. Kaushik, PhD, has worked in different capacities before retiring in 2007 as Head, Division of Microbiology at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, India.

Deepak Kumar, PhD, is presently working as Research Scientist cum Quality In-charge at the Department of Scientific & Industrial Research (DSIR), Government of India, in the approved lab of Shri Ram Solvent Extraction Pvt. Ltd., Jaspur, Uttarakhand, India.

Md. Shamim, PhD, is presently working as Assistant Professor-cum-Jr. Scientist in the Department of Molecular Biology and Genetic Engineering of Dr. Kalam Agricultural College, Kishanganj (Bihar Agricultural University), India.