This reference book covers 1,163 species in 226 genera and 54 families. Nearly 2,000 synonyms are listed. The database, derived from a critical review of 659 references, is a baseline for biological surveys, biogeographic mapping, and biodiversity studies.

Several excellent books have been published that address one or more aspects of the diverse field of industrial mycology, but none of them cover the entire process of fungal bioactive metabolites discovery. Until now. The Handbook of Industrial Mycology provides, in one volume, an overview of recent developments in industrial mycology with emphasis on the discovery of bioactive metabolites and, most importantly, their underlying biology and genetics. Two additional features distinguish this book from other books in the field: 1) most chapters are prepared using experimental data to illustrate theories and 2) the authors provide methodologies and experimental protocols in their chapters. Presenting a comprehensive overview of recent advances, the book provides a framework of basic methods, tools, and organizational principles for channeling fungal germplasm into the academic, pharmaceutical, and enzyme discovery laboratories. It covers the complex range of processes involved in the discovery, characterization, and profiling of bioactive fungal metabolites. The book includes examples of several recently marketed fungal metabolites and explores the impact of fungi on applications in the pharmaceutical, food and beverage, agricultural, and agrochemical industries.

The present volume by the author is based on the outcome of extensive explorations in the Himalayas for more than a decade. It incorporates the original research findings along with that based on literature survey. It is intended to provide a comprehensive account of an important group of fungi which has a direct bearing on wood industry and forest ecosystem besides commercial application in bioremediation and pollution control. It is the first step in providing the mycologists with consolidated, systematically up-to-date and illustrative monograph of wood-rotting fungi of Himalayas. Every year the students of the post graduate colleges and universities particularly Indian sub-continent go in for fungal forays to collect fungi which forms part of their course curriculum. This book will serve as a field manual for identification. The book has more than 240 color photographs and 123 plates of camera lucida drawings covering all the fungi which have been reported till-to-date from the study area.

Revised papers from symposia held in 1982, 1983, and 1984.

This book, prepared by participants of the European network COST ACTION 810 (1989-93) is the outcome of a meeting held in Switzerland (Einsiedeln, September 29 to October 2, 1993) on the "Impact of arbuscular mycorrhizas on sustainable agriculture and natural ecosystems". COST(Cooperation Scientifique et Technique) Networks were created in 1971 by the Commission of European Communities, and later enlarged to include non-European Member States, to promote pre-competitive scientific and technical research in fields of common interest. During the eighties, COST ACTIONS were launched in bio technological fields, including the network on arbuscular mycorrhizas. Arbuscular mycorrhizas are a universally found symbiosis between plants and certain soil fungi and essential components of soil-plant systems. They act as a major inter face by influencing or regulating resource allocation between abiotic and biotic components of the soil-plant system. Arbuscular mycorrhizas are involved in many key ecosystem processes including nutrient cycling and conservation of soil struc ture, and have been shown to improve plant health through increased protection against abiotic and biotic stresses. Sustainability can be defined as the successful management of resources to satisfy changing human needs while maintaining or enhancing the quality of the environ ment and conserving resources. Increasing environmental degradation and instability, due to anthropogenic activities and in particular the increasing fragility of the soil resource, has led to an increased awareness of the need to develop practices resulting in more sustainable natural and agroecosystems.

The world's most comprehensive, well documented, and well illustrated book on this subject. With extensive subject and geographical index. 362 photographs and illustrations. Free of charge in digital PDF format on Google Books

This practical handbook describes sampling and laboratory assessment methods for the biodiversity of a number of key functional groups of soil organisms, including insects, earthworms, nematodes, fungi and bacteria. The methods have been assembled and the protocols drafted by a number of scientists associated with the UNEP-GEF funded Conservation and Sustainable Management of Below-Ground Biodiversity Project, executed by the Tropical Soil Biology and Fertility (TSBF) Institute of the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT). The methods provide a standardized basis for characterizing soil biodiversity and current land uses in terrestrial natural, semi-natural and agroecosystems in tropical forests and at forest margins. The aim is to assess soil biodiversity against current and historic land use practices both at plot and landscape scales and, further, to identify opportunities for improved sustainable land management through the introduction, management or remediation of soil biota, thus reducing the need for external inputs such as fertilizers and pesticides. The book also contains extensive advice on the handling of specimens and the allocation of organisms to strain or functional group type. Published with TSBF-CIAT, CTA, UNEP and GEF

Works cited in this useful survey are appropriate for students, librarians, and amateur and professional botanists. These encompass the plant kingdom in all its divisions and aspects, except those of agriculture, horticulture, and gardening. The majority of the annotations are for currently available in-print or electronic reference works. A comprehensive author/title and a separate subject index make locating specific entries simple. With materials ranging from those selected for the informed layperson to those for the specialist, this new edition reflects the momentous transition from print to electronic information resources. It is an appropriate purchase for public, college, university, and professional libraries.

Mycorrhizal fungi are widespread organisms found in various regions across the globe that are closely related to a broad range of root plant species, including agricultural crops. These fungi exhibit multiple traits that promote plant growth, and numerous studies have demonstrated their ability to increase plant growth by improving the availability and efficiency of nutrient and water uptake from the soil. Specifically, mycorrhizal fungi have been shown to increase the availability of nitrogen and phosphorus in plants. While these fungi cannot fix nitrogen from the atmosphere, they are capable of mineralizing organic matter, releasing nitrogen that is trapped in molecules and cellular organelles. In addition, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) can increase phosphorus availability in plants. However, high levels of phosphorus in the soil can decrease the interactions between the fungus and the host plant. Some studies have shown that mycorrhizal fungi can enhance plant tolerance to environmental stress. In summary, mycorrhizal fungi can be used to promote plant growth, improve nutrient utilization efficiency, reduce environmental impacts and production costs, and enhance plant tolerance to cope with stress conditions. The use of AMF is an excellent strategy to achieve sustainable production.