This two-volume work is a testament to the increasing interest in the role of microbes in sustainable agriculture and food security. Advances in microbial technologies are explored in chapters dealing with topics such as plant-microbe interactions, rhizoremediation and cyanoremediation, and bio-immobilization. Volume II is a collection of research findings that invites readers to examine the application of microbes in pollution reduction, decontamination of agro- and aquatic ecosystems, and remediation of various toxic compounds. Highly readable entries attempt to close the knowledge gap between soil microbial associations and sustainable agriculture.

Traditional agricultural management techniques have relied heavily on application of chemical fertilizers and pesticides; and recent land use change practices have led to over exploitation of natural resources. Strategies outlined here simplify a complicated picture of the way microbial communities can improve the quality of environment and eliminate food scarcity in the coming generations. This work is a significant contribution to research in this increasingly important discipline of soil sciences, and will appeal to researchers in microbiology, agriculture, environmental sciences, and soil and crop sciences.

Dr. Jay Shankar Singh is an assistant professor in the Department of Environmental Microbiology at BB Ambedkar (Central University) in Lucknow, India.