Woodhead Publishing Microbiome Stimulants for Crops: Mechanisms and Applications

Microbiome Stimulants for Crops: Mechanisms and Applications provides the latest developments in the real-world development and application of these crop management alternatives in a cost-effective, yield protective way. Sections address questions of research, development and application, with insights into recent legislative efforts in Europe and the United States. The book includes valuable information regarding mechanisms and the practical information needed to support the growing microbial inoculant and biostimulant industry, thus helping focus scientific research in new directions. Review Focuses on the development of microbial inoculants for plants, including the latest technologies used to develop efficient choices for commercial applications From the Back Cover Microbiome Stimulants for Crops: Mechanisms and Applications provides the latest developments in the real-world development and application of these crop management alternatives in a cost-effective, yield protecting way. The current excitement and interest in utilizing the plant microbiome as a safe crop management alternative or supplement to chemical fertilizers and other agrochemicals may allow farmers to more sustainably produce crops at reduced cost with less environmental degradation. This interest has led to growth of an industry based on applications of microbes in agriculture, with many companies developing products that involve microbes, or biostimulants that affect the plant microbiome. Limited resources detailing how microbes or biostimulants function to promote plant growth has led many companies create incorrect mechanisms of action for microbes and biostimulants, however. Highlighting the relevant scientific knowledge of the functioning of microbe inoculants and biostimulants, this book provides a single volume resource designed to address questions of research, development and application. Including insights into recent legislative efforts in the Europe and the United States Microbiome Stimulants for Crops supports the field by providing information regarding mechanisms and practical information needed to support the growing microbial inoculant and biostimulant industry, and further to focus scientific research toward areas where more investigation is needed. About the Author Dr. James White is Professor of Plant Biology at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA. Dr. White obtained the B.S. and M.S. degrees in Botany and Plant Pathology/Mycology from Auburn University, Alabama, and the Ph.D. in Botany from the University of Texas, Austin in 1987. Dr. White specializes in symbiosis research, particularly endophytic microbes. He is the author of more than 200 articles, and author and editor of reference books on the biology, taxonomy, and phylogeny of microbial endophytes, including Biotechnology of Acremonium Endophytes of Grasses (1994), Microbial Endophytes (2000), The Clavicipitalean Fungi (2004), The Fungal Community: Its Organization and Role in the Ecosystem (2005; 2016), Defensive Mutualism in Microbial Symbiosis (2009) and Seed Endophytes: Biology and Biotechnology (2019). He and students in his lab are exploring diversity of endophytic and biostimulant microbes and the various impacts that they have on host plants. Dr. Ajay Kumar is a visiting scientist at the Agriculture Research Organization, Volcani center, Rishon Leziyon, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural development Israel. Dr. Kumar completed his doctoral research from Department of Botany, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India. He has published more than sixty research articles and book chapters in the leading International and National journals or books. He has wide area of research experience, especially in the field of Plant-Microbe Interactions, Microbial biocontrol, and Endophytes related with the medicinal plants. He is an invited member of the editorial committee of the “In