This book focuses on successful application of microbial biotechnology in areas such as medicine, agriculture, environment and human health.

Microorganisms are ubiquitous on earth. These microorganisms are able to perform various functions in the environment. Microbial applications are used as biofertilizers, bioremediation, biofortification and other sustainable approaches of environmental development. Indigenous microbial cultures have the potential to perform various functions that are beneficial to achieve the sustainable goals. To date, different strains have been commercialized for the industrial and common applications for the sustainable environment. This book will cover different aspects of microbial technology for sustainable development.

This comprehensive edited book on microbial prospective discusses the innovative approaches and investigation strategies, as well as provides a broad spectrum of the cutting-edge research on the processing, properties and technological developments of microbial products and their applications. Microbes finds very important applications in our lives including industries and food processing. They are widely used in the fermentation of beverages, processing of dairy products, production of pharmaceuticals, chemicals, enzymes, proteins and biomaterials; conversion of biomass into fuel, fuel cell technology, health and environmental sectors. Some of these products are produced commercially, while others are potentially valuable in biotechnology. Microorganisms are considered invaluable in research as model organisms. This is a useful compilation for students and researchers in microbiology, biotechnology and chemical industries.

Crop Improvement through Microbial Biotechnology explains how certain techniques can be used to manipulate plant growth and development, focusing on the cross-kingdom transfer of genes to incorporate novel phenotypes in plants, including the utilization of microbes at every step, from cloning and characterization, to the production of a genetically engineered plant. This book covers microbial biotechnology in sustainable agriculture, aiming to improve crop productivity under stress conditions. It includes sections on genes encoding avirulence factors of bacteria and fungi, viral coat proteins of plant viruses, chitinase from fungi, virulence factors from nematodes and mycoplasma, insecticidal toxins from Bacillus thuringiensis, and herbicide tolerance enzymes from bacteria. - Introduces the principles of microbial biotechnology and its application in crop improvement - Lists various new developments in enhancing plant productivity and efficiency - Explains the mechanisms of plant/microbial interactions and the beneficial use of these interactions in crop improvement - Explores various bacteria classes and their beneficial effects in plant growth and efficiency

Rampant industrialization has caused high levels of contamination by various toxic chemicals in our water bodies, which is a matter of concern in terms of ecosystems, as well as human and animal health. Polluted wastewater can contaminate drinking water and is also is a causal factor for bio-magnification of heavy metals into our food cycle. In the last decade, several methodologies have been adopted to clean the wastewaters, and among these, microbial remediation has emerged as an effective technology. Several variants of microbial technologies have been developed for wastewater treatment and biodegradation specific to the industry, type of waste and toxicity of the chemicals. This book describes the recent advances in microbial degradation and microbial remediation of various xenobiotic compounds in soil and wastewater. It also explains various modern microbial technologies for biodegradation and wastewater treatment. It covers various microbial technologies for wastewater treatment, biodegradation, bioremediation and solid waste management. Gathering contributions from leading international it focuses on the status quo in industrial wastewater treatment and its biodegradation. The book is intended for researchers in the field of industrial wastewater, students of environmental sciences and practitioners in water pollution abatement.

This edited book, is a collection of 25 chapters describing the recent advancements in the application of microbial technology in the food and pharmacology sector. The main focus of this book is application of microbes, food preservation techniques utilizing microbes, probiotics, seaweeds, algae, enzymatic abatement of urethane in fermentation of beverages, bioethanol production, pesticides, probiotic biosurfactants, drought tolerance, synthesis of application of oncolytic viruses in cancer treatment, microbe based metallic nanoparticles, agro chemicals, endophytes, metabolites, antibiotics etc. This book highlighted the significant aspects of the vast subject area of microbial biotechnology and their potential applications in food and pharmacology with various topics from eminent experts around the World. This book would serve as an excellent reference book for researchers and students in the Food Science, Food Biotechnology, Microbiology and Pharmaceutical fields.

The aim of food processing is to produce food that is palatable and tastes good, extend its shelf-life, increase the variety, and maintain the nutritional and healthcare quality of food. To achieve favorable processing conditions and for the safety of the food to be consumed, use of food grade microbial enzymes or microbes (being the natural biocatalysts) is imperative. This book discusses the uses of enzymes in conventional and non-conventional food and beverage processing as well as in dairy processing, brewing, bakery and wine making. Apart from conventional uses, the development of bioprocessing tools and techniques have significantly expanded the potential for extensive application of enzymes such as in production of bioactive peptides, oligosaccharides and lipids, flavor and colorants. Some of these developments include extended use of the biocatalysts (as immobilized/encapsulated enzymes), microbes (both natural and genetically modified) as sources for bulk enzymes, solid state fermentation technology for enzyme production. Extremophiles and marine microorganisms are another source of food grade enzymes. The book throws light on potential applications of microbial enzymes to expand the base of food processing industries.

The aim of this book is to disseminate the most recent research in science and technology against microbial pathogens presented at the first edition of the ICAR Conference Series (ICAR2010) held in Valladolid, Spain, in November 2010. This volume is a compilation of 86 chapters written by active researchers that offer information and experiences and afford critical insights into anti-microbe strategies in a general context marked by the threat posed by the increasing antimicrobial resistance of pathogenic microorganisms. "Anti" is here taken in a wide sense as "against cell cycle, adhesion, or communication," and when harmful for the human health (infectious diseases, chemotherapy etc.) and industry or economy (food, agriculture, water systems etc.) The book examines this interesting subject area from antimicrobial resistance (superbugs, emerging and re-emerging pathogens etc.), to the use of natural products or microbes against microbial pathogens, not forgetting antimicrobial chemistry, physics and material science. Readers will find in a single volume, up-to-date information of the current knowledge in antimicrobial research. The book is recommended for researchers from a broad range of academic disciplines that are contributing in the battle against harmful microorganisms, not only those more traditionally involved in this research area (microbiologists, biochemists, geneticists, clinicians etc.), but also experimental and theoretical/computational chemists, physicists or engineers.

The rapid increase in microbial resources along with the development of biotechnological methods has revolutionized the field of microbial biotechnology. Genome characterization methods and metagenomic approaches further illustrate the role of microorganisms in various fields of research. Recent Advancement in Microbial Biotechnology: Agricultural and Industrial Approach provides an overview on the recent application of the microorganisms in agricultural and industrial improvements. The purpose of this book is to integrate all these diverse areas of research in a common platform. Recent advancement in Microbial Biotechnology targets researchers from both academia and industry, professors and graduate students working in molecular biology, microbiology and biotechnology. - Gives insight in the exploration of microbial functional diversity in different systems - Highlights important microbes and their role in enhancing agricultural productivity - Provides understanding to the basics with advance information of microbial biotechnology - Explores the importance of microbial genomes studies in agricultural and industrial applications

This book outlines the vast potential of the microbial catalyst for present and future microbial process development without waste formation, leading to a clean environment. It is intended to inspire scientists and biochemical engineers to isolate new microorganisms from nature and to explore the optimal potential of the genotype before altering its code through genetical engineering. This book is structured to encourage the reader to use basic scientific and biochemical engineering concepts for the development of new and improved fermentation technology industries. It leads the reader from aspects of isolation, identification and preservation of microbial strains to the use of thermodynamics and their biochemistry to the final endproducts and their purification. Special emphasis is given to the restoration of our present and the preservation of our future environment using socioecological and biotechnological concepts. Drawing on many years of experience teaching and working in the Asia-Pacific and Africa, the author presents an interesting, informative and enlightening account of his knowledge in this field.