Microbial Interventions in Soil

Dr. Puneet Singh Chauhan is Principal Scientist & Head at CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India. Dr. Chauhan did his MSc from Jiwaji University, Gwalior, India (June 2000) in Biochemistry and has received his Ph.D. from National Botanical Research Institute (CSIR), Lucknow, India and and awarded from Jiwaji University, Gwalior, India (2009), thesis entitled Physiological and molecular characterization of rhizosphere competent plant growth promoting Pantoea agglomerans NBRI-SRM. Dr. Chauhan is the recipients of several national and International awards. He is the recipient of ‘Postdoctoral Research fellowship from Brain Korea 21 project, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju, South Korea (Awarded in July 2009). He is also the recipient of Innovative Young Scientist Award from Asian PGPR society for sustainable agriculture, Hyderabad, India for contributions in the field of Agricultural Microbiology at National Workshop on “Advances in PGPR Research" organized by Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi on October 7-8, 2014. Dr. Chauhan has worked extensively on Agricultural Microbiology, Stress Biology and Soil and Microbial Ecology. He has published several research and review paper(s) in the Journal of international repute and has edited books with renowned international publishers. Dr. Nikita Bisht is a postdoctoral researcher at the Microbial Technologies Division of CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow, India. She holds a Master’s degree in Microbiology from GBPUAT, Pantnagar, India, and has received her Ph.D. from CSIR-NBRI, Lucknow, India and AcSIR, Ghaziabad, India. Dr. Bisht has a remarkable academic journey that extends to achieving excellence in national-level examinations/fellowships including CSIR-JRF-NET, ASRB-NET, and ICMR. Her expertise lies in the area of plant-microbe interactions and nutrient deficiency where her contributions have significantly advanced our understanding of the intricate molecular mechanisms governing these interactions. She has published research articles in peer reviewed journals and authored various book chapters. Dr. Bisht is a lifetime member of the Association of Microbiologists of India. Her dedicated pursuits continue to shape the field of microbiology and plant sciences, enriching our knowledge and fostering advancements for a sustainable future.Dr. Renuka Agarwal is a Postdoctoral Researcher in the Department of Biology, Syracuse University and has also done postdoctoral research at CSIR-Lucknow. She was awarded a Ph.D. at Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Mohali. She did her post-graduation from Devi Ahilya Vishwavidyalaya, Indore in Biotechnology. Her areas of specialization include microbial ecology, soil metagenomics and plant microbe interactions. She has published research articles in peer reviewed journals and also qualified national level exams to pursue her research career.

• Part I. Foundations of soil microbiology and soil health1. Overview of soil microbiology: Key microbial players in soil ecosystems2. Importance of microbial diversity for soil health and fertility3. Soil microbiome dynamics: A pathway to effective carbon capture4. Soil microbial ecology under abiotic stress conditions5. Microbial contributions to soil health and disease suppression​​​​​​​Part II. Microbial processes driving soil fertility6. Microbes in managing soil compaction and nutrient distribution7. Microbial decomposition of organic matter for improving soil fertility8. Microbial interactions with plant roots for enhancing nutrient uptake9. Prospects of microbial mineralization of inorganic phosphate to improve soil fertility10. Mineral nutrient solubilizing microbes and their impacts on soil fertility11. Cyanobacteria as drivers of soil health​​​​​​​Part III. Microbial interventions for stress management and sustainable production12. Emerging microbial technology: Novel microbes for stress tolerance and nutrient prospecting13. Advancing microbial bioremediation techniques for arsenic-contaminated soils14. Utilization of bacterial endophytes for sustainable crop production in saline systems15. Use of microbial consortia for enhanced stress resilience and nutrient efficiencyPart IV. Advanced tools and next-generation technologies16. Advances in metagenomics for exploring soil microbial communities17. Microbial genetics for boosting forest productivity: A metagenomic approach18. Microbial formulations for reducing pesticide residues in farm crops19. Microbial solutions for precision agriculture: Biostimulants and biofertilizers20. Exploring plant–microbe interactions for biofertilizer development via genetic engineering and nanotechnology