Table Of ContentKhalid Rehman Hakeem
Gowhar Hamid Dar
Mohammad Aneesul Mehmood
Rouf Ahmad Bhat Editors
Microbiota and
Biofertilizers
A Sustainable Continuum for Plant and
Soil Health
Microbiota and Biofertilizers
Khalid Rehman Hakeem
Gowhar Hamid Dar
Mohammad Aneesul Mehmood
Rouf Ahmad Bhat
Editors
Microbiota and Biofertilizers
A Sustainable Continuum for Plant
and Soil Health
Editors
Khalid Rehman Hakeem Gowhar Hamid Dar
Department of Biological Sciences Department of Environmental Science
King Abdulaziz University Sri Pratap College
Jeddah, Saudi Arabia Cluster University
Higher Education Department
Mohammad Aneesul Mehmood Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India
Department of Environment & Water
Management, Sri Pratap College Rouf Ahmad Bhat
Cluster University Division of Environmental Sciences
Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural
Sciences and Technology of Kashmir-Srinagar
Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India
ISBN 978-3-030-48770-6 ISBN 978-3-030-48771-3 (eBook)
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-48771-3
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Foreword
Undoubtedly, the agricultural industry feeds an enormous population globally.
Numerous techniques and technologies along with modern strategies have been
employed in order to increase the agricultural yield. The faith of agriculturists to
rely on synthetic substances has enhanced agricultural yield, but this has been
achieved at the cost of the environment. Synthetic substances have a history of dete-
riorating the quality of different environs significantly and these substances not only
degrade the ecosystem but have led to human health hazards. There are numerous
traditional methods available to control the overuse of these substances. However,
microbiota as biofertilizers is a viable option to deal with grave issues that rose due
to application of synthetic chemicals and may act as a solution against the discrimi-
nate use of synthetic substances. Furthermore, exploring these sustainable
approaches can eliminate the accumulation of persistent contaminants from envi-
rons in a versatile and eco-friendly manner.
The book contains coherent topics, relevant to the trustworthiness of microbiota
as biofertilizer and for the safeguard of the environment. The book is an assembly
of 15 chapters covering different regions of the world. Chapter 1 entitled ‘Chemical
fertilizers, formulation, and their influence on soil health’ by a group of authors
from Pakistan presents information on intensive land use with continuous and inju-
dicious application of high doses of inorganic fertilizers. The authors stress the fact
vii
viii Foreword
that these chemical substances intensively affect soil properties, and keeping in
view the grave concerns on using synthetic substances, an understanding of chemi-
cal fertilizer formulations and their effect on soil health is necessary to overcome
high synthetic fertilizer applications. The scientists from northern part of India pro-
vide a valuable picture about ‘Organic agriculture: principles, current status, and
significance’ in Chap. 2. The authors have skillfully drawn a picture regarding the
impacts of population growth on agricultural industry and highlighted the major
challenges to exploring organic agriculture globally. In Chap. 3 on the ‘Responses
of soil properties to organic amendments’ by scientists from India, the authors pres-
ent information pertaining to the synthetic fertilizers and chemicals which persis-
tently pose a threat not only to human lives but create ecological imbalance too.
Otherwise, they put forth an argument that organic amendments not only improve
the soil organization by enhancing aggregate stability, hydrophobicity, soil porosity
and soil permeability, but also help in reducing bulk density. However, they lay
emphasis on the fact that application of organic amendments should follow refer-
ences in order to get desirable results. In Chap. 4 a team of workers from India while
addressing a trending topic in their work entitled ‘Vermicomposting: Sustainable
tool for agricultural environs’ have added information on compost, a quality product
containing ingredients beneficial for plants that prevents environmental degrada-
tion. Chapter 5 ‘Application and viability of macrophytes as green manure’ is writ-
ten by a group of researchers from the USA and Mexico. The authors investigated
that the increase in the human population is an important challenge to food security
in the world and it is important to develop agro-industrial and biotechnological
strategies that are eco-friendly and to avoid the use of chemical fertilizers. Therefore,
they urge using themacrophytes as green manure because of their eco-friendly
nature. The scientists again from India present their work on ‘Role of microorgan-
isms as biofertilizers’ in Chap. 6, wherein authors demonstrate that microbes pro-
mote growth, productivity and physiological properties of plants either directly or
indirectly. Furthermore, authors highlight that bio-fertilizers increase the growth as
well as development of plants by building up the accessibility of plants to mineral
nutrients, biological nitrogen fixation, solubilizing phosphorus and growth hor-
mones. A group of authors from India have expanded the information on the title
‘Nano-agriculture: A novel approach in agriculture’ in Chap. 7 and established the
fact that nanotechnology has a great potential to enhance the quality of life explored
in various regions of agro-industry and the food system. Again the researchers from
India have shared their thoughts and information on the title ‘Biofertilizers: sustain-
able approach for growing population needs’ in Chap. 8. The authors enumerate that
biofertilizers offer an economically and environmentally attractive route to increase
the supply of nutrients. Furthermore, they suggest that information acquired from
the literature evaluated will assist in comprehending the physiological foundation of
biofertilizer for viable farming in order to reduce the issues of utilizing chemical
fertilizers. Chapter 9, titled ‘Role of recombinant DNA technology in biofertilizer
Foreword ix
production’ written by a scientist from India highlights important features with
respect to biofertilizer production by using the tools of molecular biotechnology,
like recombinant DNA technology, which can improve the metabolic pathways and
production of important plant growth promoting factors like phytohormones and
enzyme activity. Another group of authors from India prepared Chap. 10, titled
‘Root-associated ectomycorrhizal mycobionts as forest biofertilizers: Standardized
molecular methods for characterization of ectomycorrhizal wood wide web’. This
chapter highlights the role of root-associated ectomycorrhizal fungi as biofertilizers
in forest ecosystems and efficient molecular methods specially optimized for char-
acterization of ectomycorrhizal fungi associated with conifers. Scientists from
Pakistan have pooled up the information on the ‘Plant Growth-Promoting
Rhizobacteria (PGPR) as biofertilizers and biopesticides’ in Chap. 11. The authors
report that plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) play an important role in
sustainable agriculture through the improvement of plant growth via different pro-
cesses like biological nitrogen fixation, phosphate solubilization, siderophore pro-
duction and phytohormone synthesis. Furthermore, PGPR can work as biocontrol
agents providing protection to the plants, enhancing the plant growth through the
synthesis of antibiotics. Chapter 12 titled ‘Halotolerant microorganism reclamation
industry for salt-dominant soils’ has been prepared by researchers from India. The
authors provide a detailed picture on bacterial domain halophiles, which are consid-
ered moderately tolerant and a good choice for reclamation of salt affected soils.
The chapter also highlights the role of Bacillus species to maintain the friendly
behaviour of plant root zone changes under stressed environs and accelerate plant
development. Chapter 13 entitled ‘Allelopathic bacteria as an alternate weedicide:
progress and future standpoints’ has been critically overviewed by workers from
Pakistan. The chapter deals with grave effects of chemical substances on different
environs utilized in agricultural industries. Otherwise, it focuses on allelopathic
bacteria as an alternative and more effective weed control approach which not only
eradicates the weed problem but also enhances the growth of the crops. A group of
scientists from India have presented a valuable description under the title
‘Azotobacter as biofertilizer for sustainable soil and plant health under saline envi-
ronmental conditions’ in Chap. 14. The authors report that application of Azotobacter
as biofertilizer has had a positive impact on the germination of seeds, growth and
increased proliferation of root and shoot length, and yield of different crops in isola-
tion and in consonance with other bacterial biomass under saline conditions. It has
also proven beneficial with other phosphate solubilizing microbes for improving the
quality of compost. Chapter 15 deals with the topic ‘Role of microbiota in compost-
ing’ as the closing chapter, presented by researchers from India, and highlights the
importance of composting and the role of microbiota in it. The authors mention that
composting helps to reduce the waste dumped in landfills, recycles humus and
nutrients, protects and improves the microbial diversity of the cultivated soils and
thus reduces the overall contamination in soil environs.
x Foreword
The order of chapters included and information established in this book cover the
highly sensitive issues related to sustainable agriculture practices, and many crucial
aspects of scientific valuation are addressed in this volume. The book can act as a
repository of knowledge on the subject and can act as a source of attraction to the
scientific community. The editors must be highly praised and appreciated for their
creditable hard work in bringing forth this book.
Prof. Dr. Javeed Iqbal Ahmad Bhat
Division of Environmental Science
Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural
Sciences and Technology
Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India
Preface
In the current era, an increasing population has put tremendous pressure on agricul-
tural productivity to fulfil the demands of the huge population. Numerous agricul-
tural activities and techniques have been developed to raise yearly crop production
globally. No doubt, agriculturists have succeeded in the scenario to enhance yearly
crop productivity at the cost of environmental degradation by applying synthetic
persistent substances, viz., synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides since
chemical fertilizers are nearly as destructive as productive, like monocultures and
consequences associated with the elimination of key biota, nutrient pollution, as
evidenced by an algae bloom, eutrophication, water quality issues, lower oxygen
levels and danger to fish stocks. Therefore, the scientific approach to maintain sus-
tainable fertility in soil and plants is to switch over to biofertilizers.
Biofertilizers are compounds of organic matter that are applied to crops for
growth and health. Their constituent microorganisms interact with the soil, root and
plant seed in an eco-friendly manner, promoting the growth of micro-flora that
enhance soil fertility. They are known to play several vital roles in soil fertility, crop
productivity and production in agriculture. The application of biofertilizers results
in increased mineral and water uptake, root development, vegetative growth and
nitrogen fixation. They liberate growth-promoting substances plus vitamins and
help in maintaining soil fertility. They act as antagonists and play a pivotal role in
neutralizing the soil-borne plant pathogens and thus, help in the bio-control of dis-
eases. The application of biofertilizers in lieu of synthetic fertilizers could be a
promising technique to raise agricultural productivity without degrading the envi-
ronmental quality.
The book highlights grave consequences and enumerates plenty of examples on
the degradation of different environs due to synthetic substances. Interestingly, vari-
ous eco-friendly agricultural practices, which have been proven a vital asset and an
alternative production system that principally disallows the usage of synthetic sub-
stances in farm fields, have been discussed in a coherent manner. Besides, modern
approaches, especially recombinant DNA technology, for food production that aim
to promote and maintain edaphic factors, human health and ecological balance have
been elaborated logically. The book also deals with the role of earthworms and
xi
