The rhizosphere is a very complex environment in which the effects of the plant on soil microorganisms and the effects of the microorganisms on the plant are interacting and are interdependent. Plant root exudates and breakdownproducts attract microbes and feed them and, in turn, the plants often bene?t from the microbes. Interactions among microorg- ismsandplantrootsareessentialfornutritionalrequirementsoftheplant. Plant growth, development and productivity are largely dependent on the soil environment in the root region rhizosphere. The new techniques of studying the rhizosphere enables us to get a much better understanding of the dynamics of the rhizosphere population, such rhizosphere studies beingofinteresttoagriculturists,soilbiologists,chemists,microbiologists andmolecularbiologists. The rhizosphere microbes in?uence the root environment in several ways. They may change the oxidation-reduction potential, in?uence the availabilityofmoistureandnutrients,producegrowthinhibitingorgrowth promoting substances in the form of exudates, provide competition and possiblyinducemanyothereffects.Mycorrhizalassociationsarebene?cial in mineral uptake and in increasing root surface area for effective ion absorption. Antagonism,competitionandsynergisminsoilandtherhizoplane(r- zosphere) are the most important microbial interactions to consider in the study of rhizosphere biology. With the growing information on the production of growth regulators, competitiveness of the microbes in the rhizosphere, microsymbionts, and other factors, their effect upon plant growth will become more evident. Experiments on the introduction of microbes or their products in the rhizosphere will help to improve our understandingofthebiologyoftherhizosphere.

In the rhizosphere, exudates from plants and microorganisms as well as stable soil organic matter influence processes that can control plant growth, microbial infections, and nutrient uptake. As the chemistry and biochemistry of these substances becomes more and more clear, their study promises to shed light on the complex interactions between plan

This book analyses the complexities of the rhizosphere ecosystem and discusses the role of insect pheromones in shaping soil health and vermicompost production. It details the mechanisms of insect pheromone communication, their impact on soil microbial communities, and their potential applications in sustainable agriculture and vermicompost production. The subject matter in this book also discusses: The Underground Symphony Pheromones in Pest Control The Sentient Soil Hypothesis Bio-Engineered Insect Allies The Global Impact of Rhizosphere Revolution Print edition not for sale in South Asia (India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan or Bhutan)

The present book entitled, “Re-visiting the Rhizosphere Eco-system for Agricultural Sustainability” written by experts in the field, provides a comprehensive and consolidated state-of art overview of various aspects of rhizosphere biology, ecology and functioning. The role of rhizosphere microbial diversity in enhancing plant health and plant-microbe beneficial symbioses is discussed. Main topics include the diversity of plant-associated microbes in the rhizosphere, below-ground communication among the plant, soil, insects and microbes, rhizosphere ecosystem functioning, rhizosphere engineering, recruitment of microorganisms in the rhizosphere, mycorrhizal fungal symbiosis, positive interaction of the plants with the beneficial soil microorganisms for inducing the plant growth, conferring abiotic and biotic stress tolerance and modulating several pathways of the plants for the proper establishment and revitalization in the degraded and contaminated soils or negative likes the host-pathogen interactions leading to the disease development in plants. Further chapters focus on the role of signaling during the different stages of the plant-microbe coexistence, in symbiotic or pathogenic relationships, in quorum sensing, microbial signaling and cross-talk, bio-film formation, and antimicrobial peptides. The book also discusses the application of microbes in biodegradation of xenobiotic contaminants, bioremediation of heavy metals, sustainable agriculture and soil health, biological control of insect pests and plant pathogens, and the latest tools of omics which offer pioneering approaches to the exploration of microbial structure and function, secretome, holobiome, below-ground interaction, and microbial cooperation for sustainable food production and enhanced resource acquisition. Descriptions of cutting-edge techniques and novel approaches make this book unique in the area of rhizosphere biology. This is a useful reading material for researchers and students of microbiology, agriculture, ecology, and rhizosphser studies.

Plants create a dynamic micro-biosphere in the soil, around the roots, called as ‘rhizosphere’, which harbors diverse number of microorganisms for sustaining their growth and development. A soil with diverse and multi-traits microbial communities is considered healthy to enhance crop productivity. In the last decades, rhizosphere biology has gained attention due to unraveling of new mechanisms, processes and molecules in the rhizosphere that contributes towards the promotion of plant productivity. The rhizospheric microbes and associated processes are being utilized for harnessing potential of soils in effective and sustainable functioning in the agro-ecosystems. Broadly, the book discusses rhizospheric microbes and their role in modulating functions of soil and crop plant. Specifically, it highlights conventional and modern aspects of rhizosphere microbes such as – microbiome in the rhizosphere, microbes as an indicator and promoter of soil health, rhizosphere microbes as biofertilizer, biostimulator and biofortifyer, microbial signaling in the rhizosphere, recent tools in deciphering rhizobiome, and regulatory mechanisms for commercialization of biofertilizer, biopesticide and biostimulator. The book is useful for agriculture scientist, biotechnologist, plant pathologist, mycologist, and microbiologist, farming community, scientist of R&D organization, as well as teaching community, researcher and student and policy maker.

The rhizosphere, the soil volume, which is directly affected by root activity, is an important hot spot for a multitude of biotic and abiotic processes. Carbon transfer from plants to microorganisms and to soil takes place in these small volumes around living roots, creating chemical gradients and zones of microbial activity over distinct temporal and spatial scales. Hydraulic and biogeochemical properties of the rhizosphere and the formation of complex three-dimensional structures such as micro- and macroaggreates in turn, result from complex feedbacks between physical, chemical and biological processes. The aim of this Research Topic is to advance our understanding of rhizosphere interactions by collating 16 original contributions across disciplines, including original research, reviews and specific methods on the processes taking place in the rhizosphere, to shed new light on one of the most important interfaces for the diversity of life on earth.

This book helps evaluate the state of the art of rhizosphere microbial ecology and biotechnology. Experts in the field review methods and strategies applied to the detection, identification and monitoring of microorganisms in the rhizosphere. Major topics treated include: - construction of genetically marked rhizosphere bacteria - detection of marked wildtype and genetically modified organisms (GMOs) - identification of wildtype and GMOs by DNA probes and PCR amplification - rapid typing of non-modified and GMOs by PCR-based techniques - assessment of the role of gene transfer - EU regulations for the use and release of GMOs - biosafety results from field testing of GMOs In addition, technologies for the modifying gene expression and gene products for specific traits of agronomic interest in genetically engineered rhizosphere bacteria are covered.

Plants are members of complex communities and interact both with antagonists and beneficial organisms. An important question in plant defense-signaling research is how plants integrate signals induced by pathogens, insect herbivores and beneficial microbes into the most appropriate adaptive response. Molecular and genomic tools are now being used to uncover the complexity of the induced defense signaling networks that have evolved during the arms races between plants and the other organisms with which they intimately interact. To understand the functioning of the complex defense signaling network in nature, molecular biologists and ecologists have joined forces to place molecular mechanisms of induced plant defenses in an ecological perspective. In this Research Topic, we aim to provide an on-line, open-access snapshot of the current state of the art of the field of induced plant responses to microbes and insects, with a special focus on the translation of molecular mechanisms to ecology and vice versa.

Growing demographic trends require sustainable technologies to improve quality and yield of future food productions. However, there is uncertainty about plant protection strategies in many agro-ecosystems. Pests, diseases, and weeds are overwhelmingly controlled by chemicals which pose health risks and cause other undesirable effects.Therefore, an increasing concern on control measures emerged in recent years. Many chemicals became questioned with regard to their sustainability and are (or will be) banned. Alternative management tools are studied, relying on biological, and low impact solutions. This ResearchTopic concerns microbial biocontrol agents, root-associated microbiomes, and rhizosphere networks. Understanding how they interact or respond to (a)biotic environmental cues is instrumental for an effective and sustainable impact. The rhizosphere is in this regard a fundamental object of study, because of its role in plant productivity. This e-book provides a polyhedral perspective on many issues in which beneficial microorganisms are involved. Data indeed demonstrate that they represent an as yet poorly-explored resource, whose exploitation may actively sustain plant protection and crop production. Given the huge number of microbial species present on the planet, the microorganisms studied represent just the tip of an iceberg. Data produced are, however, informative enough about their genetic and functional biodiversity, as well as about the ecosystem services they provide to underp in crop production. Challenges for future research work concern not only the biology of these species, but also the practices required to protect their biodiversity and to extend their application in the wide range of agricultural soils and systems present in the world. Agriculture cannot remain successfully and sustainable unless plant germplasm and useful microbial species are integrated, a goal for which new knowledge and information-based approaches are urgently needed.