Awareness of the role of microbes and microbial biotechnology in improving the quality of life has been recognized worldwide. Today, what is urgently needed an is exploration of new microbes and novel genes for solving some of the major challenges of the 21st century with particular reference to sustainable agriculture, the environment and human health. Therefore, it is realized that a book addressing microbes and microbial technology must be made available to meet the critical gap in applied microbiology and microbial technology for students, researchers and technology development professionals. It is expected that this book will serve as an invaluable overview of recent advances in this field for microbial biotechnology professionals and for other professionals with interests in sustainable agriculture and environmental health. The book covers a broad area which includes microbial diversity exploration and detection of microbial pathogens in food, concepts and applications of microbial biofilms, genetic exchange in bacterial populations in the natural environment, classical and modern techniques for studying and tracking plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria, bioremediation of contaminated soil and water using microbial surfactants, bioaugmentation-assisted phytoremediation, and degradation of agricultural pesticides by soil bacteria. Biosorption of common heavy metals by microbial biomass, recent trends in the role of baculoviruses and fungal-based agents in controlling plant pests and disease, and production technology of mycorrhizal fungi are addressed in depth. Trends in new frontiers of microbiology such as quorum sensing, biosensors, nanobiotechnology and probiotics are also covered.

Microbial Applications in Agriculture and the Environment: A Broad Perspective.- Molecular Techniques to Assess Microbial Community Structure, Function, and Dynamics in the Environment.- The Biofilm Returns: Microbial Life at the Interface.- Future Application of Probiotics: A Boon from Dairy Biology.- Microbially Synthesized Nanoparticles: Scope and Applications.- Bacterial Quorum Sensing and its Interference: Methods and Significance.- Horizontal Gene Transfer Between Bacteria under Natural Conditions.- Molecular Strategies: Detection of Foodborne Bacterial Pathogens.- Recent Advances in Bioremediation of Contaminated Soil and Water Using Microbial Surfactants.- Bioaugmentation-assisted Phytoextraction applied to Metal-contaminated Soils: State of the Art and Future Prospects.- Biosorption of Uranium for Environmental Applications using Bacteria Isolated from the Uranium Deposits.- Bacterial Biosorption: A Technique for Remedation of Heavy Metals.- Metal Tolerance and Biosorption Potential of Soil Fungi: Applications for a Green and Clean Water Treatment Technology.- Rhizosphere and Root Colonization by Bacterial Inoculants and their Monitoring Methods: A Critical Area in PGPR Research.- Pesticide Interactions with Soil Microflora: Importance in Bioremediation.- Baculovirus Pesticides - Present State and Future Perspectives.- Fungal-based Bioinoculants for Plant Disease Management.- Mycorrhizal-based inoculants: Progress in Inoculant Production Technology.- Index.