Sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) is recognized as one of the most ancient oils. Its cultivation goes back to 2130 BC. It is cultivated in tropical, subtropical and southern temperate regions of the world for its seeds which are a rich source of edible oil. Recent studies have shown that the oil lowers cholesterol levels and hypertension in humans and reduces the incidence of certain cancers. India ranks high in the area and production of sesame in the world with an annual area of 2.07 million hectares and total production of 0.76 million tons. Even though sesame is the predominant oil seed crop of India, the per hectare productivity and the economic returns given by it are very low. The crop is very sensitive to biotic and abiotic stresses and it grows in marginal light-textured inceptisols having poor soil fertility associated with imbalance and without fertilizer application. The application of both organic and inorganic fertilizers could help bringing in profitable returns. However, due to escalating costs of production of chemical fertilizers and low subsidies for farmers, the agricultural planners are compelled to re-orient their thinking towards cost effective and cheap renewable resources.

Sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) is recognized as one of the most ancient oils. Its cultivation goes back to 2130 BC. It is cultivated in tropical, subtropical and southern temperate regions of the world for its seeds which are a rich source of edible oil. Recent studies have shown that the oil lowers cholesterol levels and hypertension in humans and reduces the incidence of certain cancers. India ranks high in the area and production of sesame in the world with an annual area of 2.07 million hectares and total production of 0.76 million tons. Even though sesame is the predominant oil seed crop of India, the per hectare productivity and the economic returns given by it are very low. The crop is very sensitive to biotic and abiotic stresses and it grows in marginal light-textured inceptisols having poor soil fertility associated with imbalance and without fertilizer application. The application of both organic and inorganic fertilizers could help bringing in profitable returns. However, due to escalating costs of production of chemical fertilizers and low subsidies for farmers, the agricultural planners are compelled to re-orient their thinking towards cost effective and cheap renewable resources.

Agronomic crops have provided food, beverages, fodder, fuel, medicine and industrial raw materials since the beginning of human civilization. More recently, agronomic crops have been cultivated using scientific rather than traditional methods. However, in the current era of climate change, agronomic crops are suffering from different environmental stresses that result in substantial yield loss. To meet the food demands of the ever-increasing global population, new technologies and management practices are being adopted to boost yields and maintain productivity under both normal and adverse conditions. Further, in the context of sustainable agronomic crop production, scientists are adopting new approaches, such as varietal development, soil management, nutrient and water management, and pest management. Researchers have also made remarkable advances in developing stress tolerance in crops. However, the search for appropriate solutions for optimal production to meet the increasing food demand is still ongoing. Although there are several publications on the recent advances in these areas, there are few comprehensive resources available covering all of the recent topics. This timely book examines all aspects of production technologies, management practices and stress tolerance of agronomic crops.

This volume is a compilation of reviews on the industrial usage of soil microorganisms. The contents include 16 brief reviews on different soil microbe assisted industrial processes. Readers will be updated about recent applications of soil bacteria, fungi and algae in sectors such as agriculture, biotechnology, environmental management. The reviews also cover special topics like sustainable agriculture, biodiversity, ecology, and intellectual property rights of patented strains, giving a broad perspective on industrial applications of soil microbes. Volume 3 emphasizes various soil microorganisms including cyanobacteria and mycorrhiza. The 16 chapters cover the ecological significance of mycorrhiza to and their role in sustainable agriculture, microbial interactions with nematodes, microbes as biocontrol agents, and the use of endophytes in agriculture, Chapters also shed light on industrial aspects and microbial biotransformation, providing a comprehensive view of sustainable agricultural practices. Special topics such as the microbial carotenoids are also included.

Socity benefits from microorganismsin man ways. They are necessarfor the production of breads, cheese, bear, antibiotics, vaccines, vitamins, enzymes and many other important products. Microorganisms are indispensible components of our ecosystems. Indeed moderen biotechnology rests upon a solid mocrobiological foundation.

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are considered enormously important in contemporary agriculture and horticulture due to their important role in nutrient, biotic and abiotic stress management apart from enhancing plant health and soil fertility. AMF is one of the important fungi for soil aggregation, which helps in drought management. Hence this book brings out an exclusive text on AMF for sustainable rice production. It provides comprehensive up-to-date knowledge on AMF in rice cultivation, and for sustainable rice production in different ecologies without damaging the environment. Salient Features: 1. Covers all the aspects of AMF in rice cultivation from diversity to applications 2. Documents AMF diversity based on metagenomic approach in rice ecosystems 3. Explains the importance of AMF in soil aggregation, which helps in drought management 4. Provides new unraveling knowledge about AMF for sustainable rice production in different ecologies without damaging the environment 5. Discusses the AMF role in induction of resistance in rice plants against some pests.

knowledge on mycorrhiza-plant relationship has grown somewhat with slow pace until about 1970 when there was a sudden upsurge of interest on a specialized type of endomycorrhiza-vesicular arbuscular mycorrhiza (VA Mycorrhiza). The prodigious research made during last three decades clearly established its widespread occurrence in various plant species and under different agro-climatic conditions covering broad ecological range including deserts, forest and mangroves. It was also established that this symbiotic association benefits the plants through enhanced nutrient uptake, biological control of root pathogens, and synergistic interaction with nitrogen fixing microorganisms, hormone production and drought resistance. In view of its utility to plants, this bio-tool has now attracted the attention of microbiologist. agronomist, horticulturist and foresters at global level.