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Role of Microbes in Sustainable Agriculture

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Natural Resource Management: Ecological Perspectives

Part of the book series: Sustainability in Plant and Crop Protection ((SUPP))

Abstract

Agriculturists have multifaceted challenges as natural resources are constantly shrinking, available resources are becoming worse everyday, pathogens are evolving fast, and expectations of consumers are progressively increasing. Recent technical developments in agriculture saw an increased use of chemicals affecting the microbial ecosystem, whereby soil rapidly loses vitality. Existing technologies have reached a plateau, and hitherto it is extremely difficult to further increase food production. Under these circumstances, sustainability in crop productions cannot be attained without the sustaining role of the microbial populations in soil. Microbes perform multiple functions of supplying nutrients; controlling diseases, insects, nematodes, and weeds; and recycling by waste degradation. The role of microbes in sustainable agriculture is discussed in this chapter.

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Abbreviations

AEFB:

Aerobic endospore-forming bacteria

BNF:

Biological nitrogen fixation

Bt:

Bacillus thuringiensis

C:N ratio:

Carbon/nitrogen ratio

FYM:

Farmyard manure

GV:

Granulosis virus

NPV:

Nuclear polyhedrosis virus

PGPR:

Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria

PSB:

Phosphate-solubilizing bacteria

PSM:

Phosphate-solubilizing microorganisms

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Navsari Agricultural University, Navsari, Gujarat, India

    Ambalal N. Sabalpara

  2. Department of Plant Pathology, N.M. College of Agriculture, Navsari Agricultural University, Navsari, Gujarat, India

    Lalit Mahatma

Authors
  1. Ambalal N. Sabalpara
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  2. Lalit Mahatma
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Correspondence to Lalit Mahatma .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Agricultural Extension Education, Faculty of Agriculture, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Jammu, Chatha Jammu, Jammu and Kashmir, India

    Rajinder Peshin

  2. The Indian Ecological Society, Ludhiana, Punjab, India

    Ashok K. Dhawan

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Sabalpara, A.N., Mahatma, L. (2019). Role of Microbes in Sustainable Agriculture. In: Peshin, R., Dhawan, A. (eds) Natural Resource Management: Ecological Perspectives . Sustainability in Plant and Crop Protection. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-99768-1_9

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