This collection features four peer-reviewed literature reviews on plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria in agriculture. The first chapter considers the use of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) as plant biostimulants in agriculture. It considers the benefits of PGPR, such as their ability to promote plant growth and productivity under both normal and abiotic-stressed induced environments. The chapter also looks towards PGPR application as a sustainable and efficient method to enhance crop production. The second chapter reviews recent research on the use of PGPR as biofertilizers to enhance root function and improve nutrient uptake, with emphasis on their effects on root architecture, metabolism and adaptation to abiotic stress. The third chapter explores the use of microbial bio-effectors and their ability to optimise the mineral nutrition of agricultural crops. The chapter also reviews the wealth of research on the mechanism of action, applications and efficacy of key plant growth-promoting microorganisms (PGPMs). The final chapter reviews the use of plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) as a biocontrol agent against invertebrate pests. The chapter analyses the effects of PGPB species against these pest types and enlists a case study on the PGPB species Pseudomonas protegens to further demonstrate this.

This collection features five peer-reviewed reviews on biostimulant applications in agriculture. The first chapter provides a comprehensive overview of the optimal design and formulation of microbial and non-microbial biostimulants. The chapter presents two case studies to demonstrate the successful commercialisation of microbial and non-microbial biostimulant products. The second chapter considers the utilisation of humic substances (HS) as plant biostimulants in agriculture and their impact on the physical and chemical properties of soil. The chapter also discusses the production of HS. The third chapter reviews the wealth of research on the mechanism of action, applications and efficacy of key biostimulants such as Bacillus species, Pseudomonas species, Trichoderma species and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. The fourth chapter assesses recent advances in the use of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) as a means of enhancing crop root function and nutrient use. The chapter also considers the challenge of practical adoption and use of PGPR in commercial agricultural settings. The final chapter reviews the utilisation of biostimulants as an integrated pest management tool in horticulture. The chapter considers their role in promoting plant growth, building soil structure, as well as pest and disease suppression.

Diplomarbeit aus dem Jahr 2008 im Fachbereich BWL - Marketing, Unternehmenskommunikation, CRM, Marktforschung, Social Media, Note: 1,7, Friedrich-Alexander-Universitat Erlangen-Nurnberg, 60 Quellen im Literaturverzeichnis, Sprache: Deutsch, Abstract: Im Web 2.0 haben sich viele soziale Netzwerke gebildet, in welchen Nutzer sich uber Produkte austauschen und Meinungen daruber aussern. Fur Unternehmen ist von Bedeutung, wie sich Meinungen zu ihren Produkten entwickeln. Hierfur mussen quantitative und qualitative Daten, d.h. Beziehungen und Meinungen operationalisiert, um diese analysieren zu konen. Ziel dieser Arbeit ist es, Meinungen zum iPhone in Internetforen zu untersuchen. Hierfur wird eine soziale Netzwerkanalyse durchgefuhrt, um Kennzahlen von Nutzern abzuleiten. Diese werden anschliessend als Eingabedaten fur neuronale Netze verwendet. Mit Hilfe dieser Netze werden zunachst Nutzer anhand von Kennzahlen charakterisiert. Anschliessend wird die Entwicklung von Meinungen in Internetforen prognostizie