This volume highlights molecular methods to study the phytopathogenic rice blast fungus Magnaporthe oryzae. Chapters in this book cover the history, development, and evolution of the pathogen; molecular methods to increase the knowledge of the biology, genetic, and metabolic diversity of the pathogen; and the pathogen's adaptability. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Cutting-edge and comprehensive, Magnaporthe oryzae: Methods and Protocols is a valuable resource for any scientist or researcher interested in learning more about this developing field.

This book becomes an invaluable reference on the genetic resources, genome, genes, chemical compounds, and their therapeutic effects for the Lingzhi mushrooms. It is the first comprehensive compilation of genetic resources, nuclear genome, mitochondrial genome, genes, noncoding RNAs, such as long intergenic noncoding RNAs, microRNAs, circular RNAs, genes in the biosynthetic pathway, chemical compounds and their therapeutic effects, transformation system for the expression of key genes, a bibliometric analysis to identify the past research work and the future research direction, and a survey of products derived from the Lingzhi mushrooms. Each chapter of this book is written by authors of globally reputed experts on the relevant field who had published high-quality articles in the corresponding subject. The book has 12 chapters and each chapter has a length of approximately ten thousand words, including ten items (tables or figures), about 30-50 references. This book is useful to the students, teachers, and scientists in academia and relevant private companies interested in horticulture, genetics, physiology, molecular genetics, and breeding, in vitro culture and genetic engineering, and structural and functional genomics. This book is also useful to seed and pharmaceutical industries.

The importance of fungal infections in both human and animals has increased over the last few decades. This book presents an overview of the different categories of fungal infections that can be encountered in animals (including lower vertebrates) originating from environmental sources with or without transmission to humans. In addition, the endemic infections with indirect transmission from the environment, the zoophilic fungal pathogens with near-direct transmission, the zoonotic fungi that can be directly transmitted from animals to humans, mycotoxicoses and antifungal resistance in animals will also be discussed. This book includes case studies and reviews the current state of knowledge on the mechanism of fungal attraction, recognition, infection, extracellular hydrolytic enzymes and pathogenesis of nematophagous fungi. The book also covers diagnostics, fungal formulations, as well as prevention methods. It discusses strategies to access the fungal pathogen groups, metagenomic analyses, genomics, secretomics, metabolomics, proteomics and transcriptomics. In addition, pathogen description, understanding, distribution and recent research results are provided.

Mycorrhizae are mutualisms between plants and fungi that evolved over 400 million years ago. This symbiotic relationship commenced with land invasion, and as new groups evolved, new organisms developed with varying adaptations to changing conditions. Based on the author's 50 years of knowledge and research, this book characterizes mycorrhizae through the most rapid global environmental changes in human history. It applies that knowledge in many different scenarios, from restoring strip mines in Wyoming and shifting agriculture in the Yucatan, to integrating mutualisms into science policy in California and Washington, D.C. Toggling between ecological theory and natural history of a widespread and long-lived symbiotic relationship, this interdisciplinary volume scales from structure-function and biochemistry to ecosystem dynamics and global change. This remarkable study is of interest to a wide range of students, researchers, and land-use managers.

Fungi are an understudied, biotechnologically valuable group of organisms. Due to their immense range of habitats, and the consequent need to compete against a diverse array of other fungi, bacteria, and animals, fungi have developed numerous survival mechanisms. However, besides their major basic positive role in the cycling of minerals, organic matter and mobilizing insoluble nutrients, fungi have other beneficial impacts: they are considered good sources of food and active agents for a number of industrial processes involving fermentation mechanisms as in the bread, wine and beer industry. A number of fungi also produce biologically important metabolites such as enzymes, vitamins, antibiotics and several products of important pharmaceutical use; still others are involved in the production of single cell proteins. The economic value of these marked positive activities has been estimated as approximating to trillions of US dollars. The unique attributes of fungi thus herald great promise for their application in biotechnology and industry. Since ancient Egyptians mentioned in their medical prescriptions how they can use green molds in curing wounds as the obvious historical uses of penicillin, fungi can be grown with relative ease, making production at scale viable. The search for fungal biodiversity, and the construction of a living fungi collection, both have incredible economic potential in locating organisms with novel industrial uses that will lead to novel products. Fungi have provided the world with penicillin, lovastatin, and other globally significant medicines, and they remain an untapped resource with enormous industrial potential. Volume 1 of Industrially Important Fungi for Sustainable Development provides an overview to understanding fungal diversity from diverse habitats and their industrial application for future sustainability. It encompasses current advanced knowledge of fungal communities and their potential biotechnological applications in industry and allied sectors. The book will be useful to scientists, researchers, and students of microbiology, biotechnology, agriculture, molecular biology, and environmental biology.

This book describes many novel approaches of microbial bioremediation including conventional and modern approaches, metagenomics, biosurfactants and nano-based bioremediation. Also presents up-to-date knowledge about biodegradation of solid and liquid contaminants in the rhizospheric zone by plant (rhizo)-microbiome interface. It also illustrates communication pathways based on evolving methodologies, bioinformatic tools which provides insights into the functional dynamics of bioremediation process by the host-microbiome interface. The different chapters explain the mechanism and outcomes during the process of bioremediation. The book broadly depicts the following: Advances in bioremediation through nanoremediation, rhizo-remediation, bioremediation of different ecosystems like polluted waters, industrial effluents, bioremediation of metal and organic pollutants, toxic dyes etc. The book is very useful for researchers and students in the fields of applied and environmental microbiology. It is also meant for industry experts and professionals working in the field of bioremediation and waste management.

This book presents research on the challenges and potential of fungal contribution in agriculture for food substantiality. Research on fungi plays an essential role in the improvement of biotechnologies which lead global sustainable food production. Use of fungal processes and products can bring increased sustainability through more efficient use of natural resources. Fungal inoculum, introduced into soil together with seed, can promote more robust plant growth through increasing plant uptake of nutrients and water, with plant robustness being of central importance in maintaining crop yields. Fungi are one of nature's best candidates for the discovery of food ingredients, new drugs and antimicrobials. As fungi and their related biomolecules are increasingly characterized, they have turned into a subject of expanding significance. The metabolic versatility makes fungi interesting objects for a range of economically important food biotechnology and related applications. The potential of fungi for a more sustainable world must be realized to address global challenges of climate change, higher demands on natural resources.

Volume 3 covers recent research with expanded coverage on this important area of remediation. Mycoremediation is the form of bioremediation in which fungi-based technology is used to decontaminate the environment. Fungi are among the primary saprotrophic organisms in an ecosystem, as they are efficient in the decomposition of organic matter. Wood-decay fungi, especially white rot, secretes extracellular enzymes and acids that break down lignin and cellulose. Fungi have been proven to be a very cost-effective and environmentally-friendly way for helping to remove a wide array of toxins from damaged environments or wastewater. These toxins include heavy metals, persistent organic pollutants, textile dyes, leather tanning industry chemicals and wastewater, petroleum fuels, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, pharmaceuticals and personal care products, pesticides and herbicides, in land, fresh water and marine environments. Bioremediation of toxic organics by fungi is the most sustainable and green route for cleanup of contaminated sites and we discuss the multiple modes employed by fungi for detoxification of different toxic and recalcitrant compounds including prominent fungal enzymes viz., catalases, general lipase, laccases, peroxidases and sometimes intracellular enzymes, especially the cyrochrome P450 monooxygeneses. Fungi play an important role in the biogeochemical cycling of manganese and other redox-active metals, which is related to their ability to survive radiation and other oxidative challenges. This book covers recent research with more detail on the various types of fungi and associated fungal processes used to clean up wastes and wastewaters in contaminated environments, and discusses their potential for environmental applications.

Blast is an important foliar disease that infects the majority of cereal crops like rice, finger millet, pearl millet, foxtail millet and wheat, and thus resulting in a huge economic impact. The pathogen is responsible for causing epidemics in many crops and commonly shifts to new hosts. Magnaporthe spp. is the most prominent cause of blast disease on a broad host range of grasses including rice as well as other species of poaceae family. To date, 137 members of Poaceae hosting this fungus have been described in Fungal Databases. This book provides information on all blast diseases of different cereal crops. The pathogen evolves quickly due to its high variability, and thus can quickly adapt to new cultivars and cause an epidemic in a given crop. Some of the topics covered here include historical perspectives, pathogen evolution, host range shift, cross-infectivity, and pathogen isolation, use of chemicals fungicides, genetics and genomics, and management of blast disease in different cereal crops with adoption of suitable methodologies.In the past two decades there have been significant developments in genomics and proteomics approaches and there has been substantial and rapid progress in the cloning and mapping of R genes for blast resistance, as well as in comparative genomics analysis for resolving delineation of Magnaporthe species that infect both cereals and grass species. Blast disease resistance follows a typical gene-for-gene hypothesis. Identification of new Avr genes and effector molecules from Magnaporthe spp. can be useful to understand the molecular mechanisms involved in the fast evolution of different strains of this fungal genus. Advances in these areas may help to reduce the occurrence of blast disease by the identification of potential R genes for effective deployment. Additionally, this book highlights the importance of blast disease that infects different cereal hosts in the context of climate change, and genomics approaches that may potentially help in understanding and applying new concepts and technologies that can make real impact in sustainable management of blast disease in different cereal crops.

Fungi range from being microscopic, single-celled yeasts to multicellular and heterotrophic in nature. Fungal communities have been found in vast ranges of environmental conditions. They can be associated with plants epiphytically, endophytically, or rhizospherically. Extreme environments represent unique ecosystems that harbor novel biodiversity of fungal communities. Interest in the exploration of fungal diversity has been spurred by the fact that fungi perform numerous functions integral in sustaining the biosphere, ranging from nutrient cycling to environmental detoxification, which involves processes like augmentation, supplementation, and recycling of plant nutrients--a particularly important process in sustainable agriculture. Fungal communities from natural and extreme habitats help promote plant growth, enhance crop yield, and soil fertility via direct or indirect plant growth promoting (PGP) mechanisms of solubilization of phosphorus, potassium, and zinc, production of ammonia, hydrogen cyanides, phytohormones, Fe-chelating compounds, extracellular hydrolytic enzymes, and bioactive secondary metabolites. These PGP fungi could be used as biofertilizers, bioinoculants, and biocontrol agents in place of chemical fertilizers and pesticides in eco-friendly manners for sustainable agriculture and environments. Along with agricultural applications, medically important fungi play significant role for human health. Fungal communities are useful for sustainable environments as they are used for bioremediation which is the use of microorganisms' metabolism to degrading waste contaminants (sewage, domestic, and industrial effluents) into non-toxic or less toxic materials by natural biological processes. Fungi could be used as mycoremediation for the future of environmental sustainability. Fungi and fungal products have the biochemical and ecological capability to degrade environmental organic chemicals and to decrease the risk associated with metals, semi-metals, and noble metals either by chemical modification or by manipulating chemical bioavailability. The two volumes of "Recent Trends in Mycological Research" aim to provide an understanding of fungal communities from diverse environmental habitats and their potential applications in agriculture, medical, environments and industry. The books are useful to scientists, researchers, and students involved in microbiology, biotechnology, agriculture, molecular biology, environmental biology and related subjects.

This pioneering book focuses on Neotropical endophytic fungi, providing a comprehensive overview of their diversity, ecology, and biotechnological applications in medicine, agriculture, and industry. Despite their rich diversity, the endophytic fungi associated with plants of Central and South American biomes remain largely unknown. The book addresses that knowledge gap by offering insights into Neotropic endophytic fungal community.

LONGLISTED FOR THE ANDRE SIMON AWARD 2021 'Truffle Hound, like a truffle, charms by seducing us' Mark Kurlansky A captivating exploration into the secretive and sensuous world of truffles, the elusive food that has captured hearts, imaginations, and palates worldwide. The scent of one freshly unearthed white truffle in Barolo was all it took to lead Rowan Jacobsen down a rabbit hole into a world of secretive hunts, misty woods, black-market deals, obsessive chefs, quixotic scientists, muddy dogs, maddening smells, and some of the most memorable meals ever created. Truffles attract dreamers, schemers, and sensualists. People spend years training dogs to find them underground. They plant forests of oaks and wait a decade for truffles to appear. They pay GBP2,170 a pound to possess them. They turn into quivering puddles in their presence. Why? Truffle Hound is the fascinating account of Rowan's quest to find out, a journey that would lead him from Italy to Istria, Hungary, Spain, England, and North America. Both an entertaining odyssey and a manifesto, Truffle Hound demystifies truffles-and then remystifies them, freeing them from their gilded cage and returning them to their roots as a sacred offering from the forest. It helps people understand why they respond so strongly to that crazy smell, shows them there's more to truffles than they ever imagined, and gives them all the tools they need to take their own truffle love to the next level. Deeply informed, unabashedly passionate, rakishly readable, Truffle Hound will spark Britain's next great culinary passion.

In the past few decades, it has been realized through research that fungal siderophores epitomize the uptake of iron as well as other essential elements like zinc, magnesium, copper, nickel and arsenic. Understanding the chemical structures of different fungal siderophores and the membrane receptors involved in uptake of mineral ions has opened new areas for research. In this edited volume, recent research is presented on fungal siderophores in one comprehensive volume to provide researchers a strong base for future research. Siderophores are the low molecular weight, high affinity iron-chelating compounds produced by bacteria and fungi. They are responsible for transporting iron across the cell membrane. Fungi produce a range of hydroxamate siderophores involved in the uptake of essential elements in almost all microorganisms and plants. In recent years, siderophores have been used in molecular imaging applications to visualize and understand cellular functions, which thus provide an opportunity to identify new drug targets. Therefore, knowledge of fungal siderophores has become vital in current research. Siderophores have received much attention in recent years because of their potential roles and applications in various research areas. Their significance in these applications is because siderophores have the ability to bind a variety of metals in addition to iron, and they have a wide range of chemical structures and specific properties. For instance, siderophores function as biocontrols, biosensors, and bioremediation and chelation agents, in addition to their important role in weathering soil minerals and enhancing plant growth. This book focuses on siderophores with the following significant points. It discusses leading, state-of-the-art research in all possible areas on fungal siderophores. The contributors are well-known and recognized authorities in the field of fungal siderophores. It discusses a projection of practical applications of fungal siderophores in various domains. This is the first book exclusively on fungal siderophores. In this comprehensive, edited volume, we show leading research on fungal siderophores and provide the most recent knowledge of researchers' work on siderophores. This book presents in-depth knowledge on siderophores to researchers working in areas of health sciences, microbiology, plant sciences, biotechnology, and bioinformatics.

Fungi range from being microscopic, single-celled yeasts to multicellular and heterotrophic in nature. Fungal communities have been found in vast ranges of environmental conditions. They can be associated with plants epiphytically, endophytically, or rhizospherically. Extreme environments represent unique ecosystems that harbor novel biodiversity of fungal communities. Interest in the exploration of fungal diversity has been spurred by the fact that fungi perform numerous functions integral in sustaining the biosphere, ranging from nutrient cycling to environmental detoxification, which involves processes like augmentation, supplementation, and recycling of plant nutrients - a particularly important process in sustainable agriculture. Fungal communities from natural and extreme habitats help promote plant growth, enhance crop yield, and enhance soil fertility via direct or indirect plant growth promoting (PGP) mechanisms of solubilization of phosphorus, potassium, and zinc, production of ammonia, hydrogen cyanides, phytohormones, Fe-chelating compounds, extracellular hydrolytic enzymes, and bioactive secondary metabolites. These PGP fungi could be used as biofertilizers, bioinoculants, and biocontrol agents in place of chemical fertilizers and pesticides in eco-friendly manners for sustainable agriculture and environments. Along with agricultural applications, medically important fungi play a significant role for human health. Fungal communities are useful for sustainable environments as they are used for bioremediation which is the use of microorganisms' metabolism to degrade waste contaminants (sewage, domestic, and industrial effluents) into non-toxic or less toxic materials by natural biological processes. Fungi could be used as mycoremediation for the future of environmental sustainability. Fungi and fungal products have the biochemical and ecological capability to degrade environmental organic chemicals and to decrease the risk associated with metals, semi-metals, and noble metals either by chemical modification or by manipulating chemical bioavailability. The two volumes of Recent Trends in Mycological Research aim to provide an understanding of fungal communities from diverse environmental habitats and their potential applications in agriculture, medical, environments and industry. The books are useful to scientists, researchers, and students involved in microbiology, biotechnology, agriculture, molecular biology, environmental biology and related subjects.

This detailed book collects standard techniques and cutting-edge methods that are frequently used by the research community studying the fungus Trichoderma reesei. Beginning with overviews of its evolution, its use in the production of industrially-relevant enzymes, and synthetic biology applications, the volume continues with methods covering topics from transformation techniques and gene editing to downstream-analytical applications and -omics analyses and the corresponding bioinformatics approaches. Written for the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and practical, Trichoderma reesei: Methods and Protocols serves as an ideal guide for a wide range of audiences, from students who want to familiarize themselves with basic research protocols to experienced scientists who are planning to establish a new method in their laboratories, working with this dynamic fungus.

This fully revised third edition includes up-to-date topics and developments in the field, which has made tremendous strides since the publication of the second edition in 2004. Many novel techniques based on Next Generation Sequencing have sped up the analysis of fungi and major advances have been made in genome editing, leading to a deeper understanding of the genetics underlying cellular processes as well as their applicability. At the same time, the relevance of fungi is unbroken, both due to the serious threats to human health and welfare posed by fungal pests and pathogens, and to the many benefits that fungal biotechnology can offer for diverse emerging markets and processes that form the basis of the modern bioeconomy. With regard to these advances, the first section of this volume, Genetics, illustrates the basic genetic processes underlying inheritance, cell biology, metabolism and "lifestyles" of fungi. The second section, Biotechnology, addresses the applied side of fungal genetics, ranging from new tools for synthetic biology to the biotechnological potential of fungi from diverse environments. Gathering chapters written by reputed scientists, the book represents an invaluable reference guide for fungal biologists, geneticists and biotechnologists alike.

Current research lays emphasis on exploring natural products for use in nutraceuticals and pharmaceuticals to overcome various side effects of synthetic drugs. Fungi occupy an eminent position among natural sources of food and medicinal importance since ancient times. Many fungal species have been eaten as food and used in folk medicine for the treatment of many human ailments as mentioned in traditional medical literature. However, scanty information is available pertaining to the nutraceutical and pharmaceutical importance of fungi which merits an extensive review. This book spotlights the use value macrofungi in human health. Macrofungi with health benefitting properties largely belong to Basidiomycota followed by Ascomycota growing indoor (cultivated) and outdoor (wild). We endeavoured to throw light on the benefits of macrofungal taxa in relation to their food and medicinal significance in human life. We provided knowledge pertaining to the ethnomycological significance of macrofungi with respect to their uses as food and medicine by the people inhabiting different parts of the world. This book highlights the nutritional composition and bioactive compounds present in macrofungi. We also focused on the pharmacological activities of macrofungi contributing towards their medicinal value against several human disorders. We cited many commercially available nutraceutical and pharmaceutical products of macrofungal origin. This work will hopefully serve as a basic reference for general public, mycologists, researches and industry men, interested in consumption, research and marketing of macrofungi.

In The Fungal Pharmacy, noted herbalist Robert Rogers introduces readers to more than 300 species of medicinal mushrooms and lichens found in North America. These fungi, Rogers explains, have the capacity to heal both the body and, through the process of myco- remediation, the planet itself. Throughout the book, he documents their success in optimizing the immune system and treating a wide range of acute and chronic diseases, including cardiovascular, respiratory, and liver problems, blood sugar disorders, cancer, and obesity. Entries discuss the mushroom or lichen's medicinal traits and properties, including active chemical components, preparation methods (including extracts, essences, and essential oils), and historical as well as modern-day usage. Two hundred full-color photos and thorough descriptions make identification easy for the reader. Rogers also delves into the cultural, religious, and literary significance of each mushroom, featuring fascinating tidbits about each one's etymology and history.

This volume provides a comprehensive overview of the major applications and potential of fungal biotechnology. The respective chapters report on the latest advances and opportunities in each topic area, proposing new and sustainable solutions to some of the major challenges faced by modern society. Aimed at researchers and biotechnologists in academia and industry, it represents essential reading for anyone interested in fungal biotechnology, as well as those working within the broader area of microbial biotechnology. Written in an accessible language, the book also offers a valuable reference resource for decision-makers in government and at non-governmental organizations who are involved in the development of cleaner technologies and the global bioeconomy. The 21st century is characterized by a number of critical challenges in terms of human health, developing a sustainable bioeconomy, facilitating agricultural production, and establishing practices that support a cleaner environment. While there are chemical solutions to some of these challenges, developing bio-based approaches is becoming increasingly important. Filamentous fungi, 'the forgotten kingdom,' are a group of unique organisms whose full potential has yet to be revealed. Some key properties, such as their exceptional capacity to secrete proteins into the external environment, have already been successfully harnessed for the production of industrial enzymes and cellulosic biofuels. Many further aspects discussed here -such as feeding the hungry with fungal protein, and the potential applications of the various small molecules produced by fungi -warrant further exploration. In turn, the book covers the use of fungal cell factories to produce foreign molecules, e.g. for therapeutics. Strategies including molecular approaches to strain improvement, and recent advances in high-throughput technologies, which are key to finding better products and producers, are also addressed. Lastly, the book discusses the advent of synthetic biology, which is destined to greatly expand the scope of fungal biotechnology. The chapter "Fungal Biotechnology in Space: Why and How?" is available open access under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License at link.springer.com.

This book illustrates, that the fungal cell wall is critical for the biology and ecology of all fungi and especially for human fungal pathogens. Readers will learn, that the composition of the fungal cell wall is a unique structure, which cannot be found in the human host. Consequently, the chapters outline, how the immune systems of both animals and humans have evolved to recognize conserved and unique elements of the fungal cell wall. As an application example, the authors also show, that the three-dimensional structures of the cell wall are excellent targets for the development of antifungal agents and chemotherapeutic strategies. With the combination of biological findings and medical outlooks, this volume is a fascinating read for scientists, clinicians and biomedical students.

Microbes are ubiquitous in nature. Among microbes, fungal communities play an important role in agriculture, the environment, and medicine. Vast fungal diversity has been found in plant systems. The fungi associated with any plant system are in the form of epiphytic, endophytic, and rhizospheric fungi. These associated fungi play important roles in plant growth, crop yield, and soil health. The rhizospheric fungi present in rhizospheric zones have a sufficient amount of nutrients released by plant root systems in the form of root exudates for growth, development, and activities of microbes. Endophytic fungi enter in host plants mainly through wounds that naturally occur as a result of plant growth, or develop through root hairs and at epidermal conjunctions. The phyllospheric fungi may survive or proliferate on leaves, depending on the extent of influences of material in leaf diffuseness or exudates. The diverse group of fungal communities is a key component of soil-plant systems, where they are engaged in an intense network of interactions in the rhizospheric, endophytic, and phyllospheric areas, and they have emerged as an important and promising tool for sustainable agriculture. These fungal communities help to promote plant growth directly or indirectly by mechanisms for plant growth-promoting (PGP) attributes. These PGP fungi can be used as biofertilizers, bioinoculants, and biocontrol agents in place of chemical fertilizers and pesticides in an environmentally and eco-friendly manner. This book covers the current knowledge of plant-associated fungi and their potential biotechnological applications in agriculture and allied sectors. This book should be useful to scientists, researchers, and students of microbiology, biotechnology, agriculture, molecular biology, environmental biology, and related subjects.

Microbes are ubiquitous in nature. Among microbes, fungal communities play an important role in agriculture, the environment, and medicine. Vast fungal diversity has been associated with plant systems, namely epiphytic fungi, endophytic fungi, and rhizospheric fungi. These fungi associated with plant systems play an important role in plant growth, crop yield, and soil health. Rhizospheric fungi, present in rhizospheric zones, get their nutrients from root exudates released by plant root systems, which help with their growth, development, and microbe activity. Endophytic fungi typically enter plant hosts through naturally occurring wounds that are the result of plant growth, through root hairs, or at epidermal conjunctions. Phyllospheric fungi may survive or proliferate on leaves depending on material influences in leaf diffuseness or exudates. The diverse nature of these fungal communities is a key component of soil-plant systems, where they are engaged in a network of interactions endophytically, phyllospherically, as well as in the rhizosphere, and thus have emerged as a promising tool for sustainable agriculture. These fungal communities promote plant growth directly and indirectly by using plant growth promoting (PGP) attributes. These PGP fungi can be used as biofertilizers and biocontrol agents in place of chemical fertilizers and pesticides for a more eco-friendly method of promoting sustainable agriculture and environments. This first volume of a two-volume set covers the biodiversity of plant-associated fungal communities and their role in plant growth promotion, the mitigation of abiotic stress, and soil fertility for sustainable agriculture. This book should be useful to those working in the biological sciences, especially for microbiologists, microbial biotechnologists, biochemists, and researchers and scientists of fungal biotechnology.

Fungi are eukaryotic microorganisms that include both unicellular and multicellular species. They have a worldwide distribution and a wide range of applications in diverse sectors, from environmental, food and medicine to biotechnological innovations. Fungal biochemical genetics involves the study of the relationships between genome, proteome and metabolome, and the underlying molecular processes in both native and bioengineered fungi. This book provides a valuable resource on the challenges and potential of fungal biotechnology and related bioengineering and functional diversity for various industrial applications in the food, environmental, bioenergy and biorefining, and the biopharma sectors. In comparison to previous and related publications in the area of applied myco-biotech-engineering, this book bridges a knowledge gap in the areas related to prospects and investment as well as intellectual and technical issues. This book also provides information on recent commercial and economic interests in the area by juxtaposing the developments achieved in recent worldwide research and its many challenges.

This book focuses on recent advances in our understanding of wild edible mycorrhizal fungi, truffle and mushrooms and their cultivation. In addition to providing fresh insights into various topics, e.g. taxonomy, ecology, cultivation and environmental impact, it also demonstrates the clear but fragile link between wild edible mushrooms and human societies. Comprising 17 chapters written by 41 experts from 13 countries on four continents, it enables readers to grasp the importance of protecting this unique, invaluable, renewable resource in the context of climate change and unprecedented biodiversity loss. The book inspires professionals and encourages young researchers to enter this field to develop the sustainable use of wild edible mushrooms using modern tools and approaches. It also highlights the importance of protecting forested environments, saving species from extinction and generating a significant income for local populations, while keeping alive and renewing the link between humans and wild edible mushrooms so that in the future, the sustainable farming and use of edible mycorrhizal mushrooms will play a predominant role in the management and preservation of forested lands.

Pulses have played a major role in human diet and are considered a rich source of proteins. But, the major constraints in achieving the yield of pulses are the occurrences of various diseases and pests. Hence, there is a need to understand major fungal pathogens and their management strategies for sustainable agriculture. The major pulse crops in India and other Asian countries are bengal gram, pigeon pea, black gram, green gram, lentil and peas, which are attacked by several pathogens that cause considerable crop damage. Bengal gram is affected mainly by wilt (Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. ciceri), blight (Mycosphaerella pinodes) and rust (Uromyces ciceris-arietini). The main diseases of pigeon pea are wilt (Fusarium oxysporum) and Phytophtora stem blight (Phytophthora drechsleri f. sp. cajani). Powdery mildew (Erysiphe polygoni) and rust (Uromyces vicia-fabae) are the most important diseases affecting the production of pea. This volume offers details like symptoms, distribution, pathogens associated, predisposing factors and epidemiology, sources of resistance and holistic management of diseases with particular reference to those of economic importance. Several minor diseases of lentil, green gram and of black gram are discussed with their detailed and updated information. This volume provides pooled information regarding the management of major fungal phytopathogens affecting pulses.