Preface -- Contents -- List of Contributors -- 1. Microbes and Their Contributions to Plant Biotechnology -- INTRODUCTION -- PLANT GENETIC ENGINEERING -- BACTERIA AS A SOURCE OF TOOLS FOR GENE ISOLATION, CLONING AND RECONSTRUCTION -- Restriction Endonucleases -- Cloning Vehicles -- GENE TRANSFER TO PLANT CELLS - THE ROLE OF AGROBACTERIUM -- Recognition and Chemotactic Binding of Bacteria to Plant Cells -- Bacterial Response and T-DNA Packaging -- T-DNA Tagging and Gene Cloning -- MICROBES AS THE DIRECT SOURCE OF USEFUL GENES -- Herbicide Resistance -- Insect Resistance -- Protection Against Pathogens -- Symbiotic Interactions -- Metabolic Engineering -- Protection against Transgene Escape -- CONCLUSION -- REFERENCES -- 2. Genetically Modified Plants: Applications and Issues -- INTRODUCTION -- Objectives -- CURRENT SITUATION IN AGRICULTURAL BIOTECHNOLOGY -- PREPARATION AND SYNTHESIS OF GENETICALLY MODIFIED ORGANISMS (GMOs) -- APPLICATIONS OF GENETIC ENGINEERING IN AGRICULTURE/HORTICULTURE -- DETECTION METHODS AND UNINTENDED EFFECTS OF GMOs -- Detection Methods -- Unintended Effects of GMOs -- TOXICITY STUDIES PERFORMED WITH GM FOOD CROPS -- CONSUMERS' BELIEFS TOWARDS GMO -DIFFERENCES AMONG OUNTRIES -- CONSUMER SAFETY - POST MARKETING MONITORING -- Consumer Safety -- Post-marketing Monitoring -- LEGISLATION FOR GM - LABELLING - BIOETHICS -- Legislation -- Labelling -- Bioethics -- CONCLUSION -- REFERENCES -- 3. Rhizobial Production Technology -- INTRODUCTION -- CLASSIFICATION AND STRAINS SELECTION -- Genetic Diversity of Xhizobium -- 1. Genus Azorhizobium -- 2. Genus Bradyrhizobium -- 3. Genus Mesorhizobium -- 4. Genus Allorhizobium -- 5. Genus Sinorhizobium -- 6. Genus Rhizobium -- Strain Selection -- TRENDS FOR RHIZOBIAL STRAIN IMPROVEMENT -- 1. Environmental Factors -- Soil Water -- Nutritional Factors -- Soil pH -- Soil Temperature.

2. Biotic Factors -- Expolysaccharide and Cell Surface -- Genes Influencing Efficiency of Nodulation -- Antirhizobial Compounds and Related Substances -- Genes Influencing Ejjficiency on N2-Fixation and Hydrogen (H2 ) Uptake System -- NEW DEVELOPMENT IN INOCULANT TECHNOLOGY -- 1. Mass Culture -- 2. Carrier Preparation -- 3. Factors Affecting the Scale of Inoculant Production -- 4. Alternative Techniques for Producing Inoculant -- Simple Technique -- NifTAL's Micro Production Unit (MPLI) -- Application of Rhizobium Inoculant -- QUALITY CONTROL -- 1. Conventional Method -- 2. Genetic Analysis of Competitiveness and New Techniques for Monitoring Introduced Rhizobia in Soil -- CONCLUSION -- REFERENCES -- 4. Phosphorus Solubilizing Microorganisms and Their Role in Plant Growth Promotion -- INTRODUCTION -- IMPORTANCE OF PHOSPHORUS FOR PLANTS -- Phosphorus Mobilization -- Importance -- Soil Phosphorus Mobility -- Possibilities of Phosphorus Mobilization -- Mechanisms of P-solubilization -- Solubilization of Mineral Phosphate -- Factors Affecting P-solubilization -- Solubilization of Organic Phosphorus -- ROLE OF SOIL MICROFLORA IN PHOSPHORUS TRANSFORMATIONS -- P-solubilizing Bacteria -- P-solubilizing Fungi -- PRACTICAL USE OF P-SOLUBILIZING SOIL MICROFLORA -- Role of P-solubilizing Soil Microflora in Plant Nutrition -- Determination of P-solubilizing Activity of Microorganisms -- Inoculation -- Combined Inoculation -- Cornposting of Raw Phosphates -- Commercial Inoculant Preparations -- GENETICS OF PHOSPHATE SOLUBILIZING BACTERIA -- CONCLUSION -- Future Perspective of Phosphate Solubilizing Microorganisms -- ACKNOWLEDGEMENT -- REFERENCES -- 5. Biotechnology of Biofertilizers for Rice Crop -- INTRODUCTION -- AZOSPIRILLUM BIOFERTILIZER -- AZOLLA BIOFERTILIZER -- Growth -- Mass Production of Azolla Biomass -- Azolla Spore Production Technology.

Inoculation of Fresh Biomass of Azolla -- Application of Azolla Biofertilizer for Rice Crop -- BLUE-GREEN ALGAE (BGA) -- Distribution of BGA in Indian Soils -- N2 -Fixing BGA -- Mass Scale Multiplication Under Field Conditions -- Algal Inoculation to Rice Crop -- Residual Effect of BGA Inoculation -- Induction of Native BGA -- Stress Tolerant Cyanobacteria -- Immobilization of Cyanobacteria -- Systemic Fungicides on Ammonia Production -- Nitrogen Regulation In Rice By Immobilized Cyanobacteria -- Carrier Based Immobilized Cyanobacterial Inoculum -- SESBANIA ROSTRATA -- Characteristics of the Symbiont Azorhizobium caulinodans -- Seed/Foliar Application of S. rostrata -- Stem Nodulation and N2-Fixation in S. rostrata -- Xylem Colonization by A. caulinodans in S. rostrata -- A. caulinodans -- Flavonoids as Signal Molecules for Endophytic Colonization by -- A. caulinodans -- Pre-requisites for an Endophytic Relationship -- Para-nodulation by A. caulinodans -- Para-nodular Bacteria: Mode of Entry and Colonization -- Structure of Para-nodules -- Effect of Growth Regulators and Cell Wall Degrading Enzymes on Induction of Para-nodules in Rice -- Xylem Colonization by A. caulinodans in Rice -- Ecological and Economic Aspects -- PHOSPHOBACTERIAL BIOFERTILIZER -- POTENTIAL FOR FUTURE RESEARCH -- Endophytic Colonization by A. caulinodans -- Genetic Modification of Host Plant -- Genetic Modification of the Microorganisms -- CONCLUSION -- REFERENCES -- 6. Physiological and Genetic Effects of Bacterial ACC Deaminase on Plants -- INTRODUCTION -- ETHYLENE BIOSYNTHESIS -- PLANT GROWTH-PROMOTING BACTERIA AND ACC DEAMINASE -- Flower Wilting -- Fruit Ripening -- Nodulation -- PHYSIOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF ACC DEAMINASE ON PLANTS -- Flooding -- Xenobiotics -- Metals -- Salt -- Drought -- Pathogens -- GENOMICS IN PLANT DISEASE AND POSSIBLE APPLICATIONS -- CONCLUSION.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT -- REFERENCES -- 7. Rhizobial Strain Improvement: Genetic Analysis and Modification -- INTRODUCTION -- GENETIC ANALYSIS -- Analysis of Complete Genomes -- Symbiotic Genes -- Nodulation Genes -- N2-fixation Genes -- Stress Genes -- Temperature stress -- Acidity Stress -- Salt Stress -- MOLECULAR METHODS FOR STRAIN IDENTIFICATION -- Strain Identification -- Genetic Diversity and Strain Differentiation -- GENE EXPRESSION ANALYSIS -- GENETIC MODIFICATION -- CONCLUSION -- ACKNOWLEDGEMENT -- REFERENCES -- 8. Influence of Microorganisms/ Microbial Products on Water and Sediment Quality in Aquaculture Ponds -- INTRODUCTION -- MICROORGANISMS, SEDIMENT, AND WATER QUALITY -- Phytoplankton -- Benthic Algae -- Saprophytic Microorganisms -- Aerobic Decomposition -- Anaerobic Decomposition -- FACTORS CONTROLLING BACTERIA IN PONDS -- ENZYMES -- THE ARGUMENT FOR MICROBIAL PRODUCTS -- STUDIES OF MICROBIAL PRODUCTS -- CONCLUSION -- REFERENCES -- 9. Linking Ecotechnology and Biotechnology in Aquaculture -- INTRODUCTION -- USING ECOTECHNOLOGY TO QUANTIFY FISH FARMING SYSTEMS -- NEED TO QUANTIFY -- WHAT AND HOW TO QUANTIFY -- TOWARDS A SELF-CONTAINING ECOLOGY -- THE CONTENT OF ECOLOGY -- THE BOUNDARIES OF ECOLOGY -- THE METABOLISM OF ECOSYSTEMS -- ECOSYSTEM METABOLIC FUNCTIONS -- ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS -- THE CONCEPT OF ECOTECHNOLOGY -- THE DEFINITION OF ECOTECHNOLOGY -- CONNECTION TO OTHER TECHNOLOGIES -- QUANTIFICATION IN ECOTECHNOLOGY -- QUANTIFICATION OF SUSTAINABILITY IN RESOURCE CONSUMPTION -- ECOTECHNOLOGICAL SURVEY ON INTEGRATED AQUACULTURE -- ECOTECHNOLOGICAL ONFARM SURVEY -- NITROGEN CYCLING IN FISH-CUM-LIVESTOCK ECOSYSTEMS -- WATER AND SEDIMENT NITROGEN COMPARTMENT -- NITROGEN TRANSFER RATES -- NITROGEN CYCLING AND RETENTION -- ENVIRONMENTAL COST OF AQUACULTURE ON HUNGARIAN LOWLAND -- POTENTIAL OF AUQACCILTURE VERSUS AGRICULTURE.

FARM INPUT AND CONSUMABLE OUTPUT -- ENVIRONMENTAL COSTS OF FARMING -- ENERGY COST OF AQUACLTLTLTRE -- RECONSTRUCTION OF FLOODPLAIN AQUACULTURE -- CONCLUSION -- REFERENCES -- 10. Marine Microbial Biotechnology and Aquaculture - An Overview -- INTRODUCTION -- MARINE MICROBIAL BIODIVERSITY -- MARINE ECOLOGY -- STATUS OF AQUACULTURE SECTOR -- PRESENT STATUS OF AQUATIC BIOTECHNOLOGY -- MARINE MICROBIAL BIOTECHNOLOGY -- Non-conventional Products from the Seas -- Pharmaceuticals -- Nutraceuticals -- Enzymes -- Biomolecular Materials -- Biomonitors -- Biopesticides -- Biofertilizers -- Biomass for Energy Production -- APPLICATION OF SEA-BASED NEW PROCESSES -- Bioremediation -- Bioprocessing -- Agriculture -- Aquaculture -- Improving Broodstock Management Practices -- Improving Growth and Development -- Improving Fish Nutrition -- Health Care -- Conserving Genetic Resources -- Enhancing Biomedical Models -- IMPACT OF THE SEAS ON THE ENVIRONMENT -- CHALLENGES - MARINE BIOTECHNOLOGY -- Genetic and Ecological Impacts -- Research and Development -- CONCLUSION -- REFERENCES -- 11. Microbial Degradation of Pesticides: Atrazine as a Case Study -- INTRODUCTION -- Herbicides -- S-TRIAZINES -- BIODEGARADABILITY OF ATRAZINE -- DEGRADATION OF ATRAZINE BY DIFFERENT BACTERIA AND GENETIC DIVERSITY OF ATRAZINE DEGRADING GENES -- ATRAZINE DEGRADING ENZYMES -- Amidohydrolase Superfamily -- BIOREMEDIATION OF ATRAZINE FROM CONTAMINATED ENVIRONMENTS -- BIOREACTOR FOR THE SIMULTANEOUS REMOVAL OF ATRAZINE AND NITRATES FROM POLLUTED GROUNDWATER - CASE STUDY -- CONCLUSION -- REFERENCES -- 12. Microbiological Technology for Extraction of Jute and Allied Fibres -- GENERAL INTRODUCTION -- Stem or Bast Fibres -- Leaf Fibres -- Fruit Fibres -- JUTE -- Introduction -- Microbial Retting and Extraction of Fibre -- Definition of Retting -- Harvest of Jute Plants -- Preparation of 'Jak'.

Covering and Steeping.