Soil Microbes and Environmental Health [1 ed.] 9781624172748, 9781612096476

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Copyright © 2011. Nova Science Publishers, Incorporated. All rights reserved. Soil Microbes and Environmental Health, edited by Mohammad Miransari, Nova Science Publishers, Incorporated, 2011. ProQuest Ebook Central,

Copyright © 2011. Nova Science Publishers, Incorporated. All rights reserved. Soil Microbes and Environmental Health, edited by Mohammad Miransari, Nova Science Publishers, Incorporated, 2011. ProQuest Ebook Central,

ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH ADVANCES

Copyright © 2011. Nova Science Publishers, Incorporated. All rights reserved.

SOIL MICROBES AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH

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Soil Microbes and Environmental Health, edited by Mohammad Miransari, Nova Science Publishers, Incorporated, 2011. ProQuest Ebook Central,

Copyright © 2011. Nova Science Publishers, Incorporated. All rights reserved. Soil Microbes and Environmental Health, edited by Mohammad Miransari, Nova Science Publishers, Incorporated, 2011. ProQuest Ebook Central,

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Soil Microbes and Environmental Health, edited by Mohammad Miransari, Nova Science Publishers, Incorporated, 2011. ProQuest Ebook Central,

Copyright © 2011. Nova Science Publishers, Incorporated. All rights reserved. Soil Microbes and Environmental Health, edited by Mohammad Miransari, Nova Science Publishers, Incorporated, 2011. ProQuest Ebook Central,

ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH ADVANCES

SOIL MICROBES AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH

Copyright © 2011. Nova Science Publishers, Incorporated. All rights reserved.

MOHAMMAD MIRANSARI EDITOR

Nova Science Publishers, Inc. New York Soil Microbes and Environmental Health, edited by Mohammad Miransari, Nova Science Publishers, Incorporated, 2011. ProQuest Ebook Central,

Copyright © 2011 by Nova Science Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means: electronic, electrostatic, magnetic, tape, mechanical photocopying, recording or otherwise without the written permission of the Publisher. For permission to use material from this book please contact us: Telephone 631-231-7269; Fax 631-231-8175 Web Site: http://www.novapublishers.com NOTICE TO THE READER The Publisher has taken reasonable care in the preparation of this book, but makes no expressed or implied warranty of any kind and assumes no responsibility for any errors or omissions. No liability is assumed for incidental or consequential damages in connection with or arising out of information contained in this book. The Publisher shall not be liable for any special, consequential, or exemplary damages resulting, in whole or in part, from the readers‘ use of, or reliance upon, this material. Any parts of this book based on government reports are so indicated and copyright is claimed for those parts to the extent applicable to compilations of such works.

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Independent verification should be sought for any data, advice or recommendations contained in this book. In addition, no responsibility is assumed by the publisher for any injury and/or damage to persons or property arising from any methods, products, instructions, ideas or otherwise contained in this publication. This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information with regard to the subject matter covered herein. It is sold with the clear understanding that the Publisher is not engaged in rendering legal or any other professional services. If legal or any other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent person should be sought. FROM A DECLARATION OF PARTICIPANTS JOINTLY ADOPTED BY A COMMITTEE OF THE AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION AND A COMMITTEE OF PUBLISHERS. Additional color graphics may be available in the e-book version of this book.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Soil microbes and environmental health / editor Mohammad Miransari. p. cm. Includes index. ISBN 978-1-62417-274-8 (eBook) 1. Soils--Environmental aspects. 2. Soil microbial ecology. 3. Soil microbiology. 4. Soil pollution. 5. Environmental health. I. Miransari, Mohammad. II. Title. S596.S6526 2011 631.4'1--dc22 2011007512

Published by Nova Science Publishers, Inc. †New York Soil Microbes and Environmental Health, edited by Mohammad Miransari, Nova Science Publishers, Incorporated, 2011. ProQuest Ebook Central,

CONTENTS Preface Chapter 1

Biosorption of Metals by Soil Bacteria V. Prabhawathi and Mukesh Doble

Chapter 2

Soil Yeasts in Agroecosystems M.M. Rosa-Magri and S.R. Ceccato-Antonini

Chapter 3

Bacillus Thuringiensis: Soil Microbial Insecticide, Diversity and their Relationship with the Entomopathogenic Activity J. Hernández-Fernández and SA López-Pazos

Chapter 4

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Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Microbial Biofertilizer Application Versus Compost Use in Agriculture: Soil Health Implications G. Seneviratne, KPK Jayakody, MLMAW Weerasekara, Takashi Someya , and Noriko Ryuda Effect of Chitooligosaccharides on Plant Defense Responses to Soil Pathogenic Fungi Bipolaris sorokiniana G.F. Burkhanova, L.G. Yarulina and I.V. Maksimov Hyperaccumulator Endophytes and their Promising Potential in Heavy Metal Decontamination Shenglian Luo,, Xiao Xiao, Chengbin Liu ,Liang Chen , Qiang Xi, Jueliang Chen,Yong Wan, Wanzhi Wei ,and Qingyun Cai

1 29

59

81

119

131

Chapter 7

Current Review on Soil Borne Fusarium Wilt Disease of Guava V. K. Gupta, A. K. Misra and A. Manimaran

163

Chapter 8

Spatial Patterns of Microbial Activity in Temperate Forest Soils Erika Gömöryová and Dušan Gömöry

183

Chapter 9

Role of Organic Amendments on Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Formation and Function Sarah Jaison, E. Uma and T. Muthukumar

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Contents Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Parameters and Indicators of Soil Health and Functioning: Applications in Agricultural and Agroforestal Systems Marcela Claudia Pagano, Santiago Schalamuk, and Marta Noemí Cabello Influence of Mineral Solubilizers on Growth and Biomass of Acacia Auriculiformis Cunn Ex. Berth. Grown in Nursery Conditions Nibha Gupta, Sujata Dash and Ajay Kumar Mohapatra Growth of Mycorrhizal Barley (Hordeum Vulgare L.) as Affected by Heavy Metals Mohammad Rezvani, Mohammad Reza Ardakani, Farhad Rejali, Faezeh Zaefarian, Sadollah Teimouri, Ghorban Noormohammadi, Mohammad Miransari Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi and Alleviation of Soil Stresses Mohammad Miransari, H. Abbasipour, J. Karimi, M.R. Askarian Zadeh,and A. Saeidi

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Index

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271

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PREFACE Soil microbes have important functions in the ecosystem including cycling of nutrients, immobilization and mineralization of organic matter, controlling pathogens, improving soil structure and enhancing plant growth. The importance of soil microbes in the ecosystem is becoming more elucidated by every day research progress. A wide range of soil microbes, especially the culturable ones, has been so far recognized and there are some other important microbes, which must yet be identified. In the present book, a team of researchers and scientists have contributed their research, ideas and thoughts regarding the microbial methods by which the environment can be kept clean and healthy. Chapter 1 - Metal bioremediation is the process of using organisms like plants and animals to immobilize or extract metals from water or sediment. Bacteria metal interaction happens by formation of bio-oxides, reduction reaction, biomineralization and biosorption. Biosorption can be defined as the ability of biological materials to accumulate heavy metals from wastewater through metabolically mediated or physico-chemical pathways of uptake. Microorganisms involved in biosorption include Bacillus sp, Pseudomonas sps, zoogloea ramigera and Streptomyces sp. Rhodobacter sphaeroides, Alcaligenes eutrophus etc. The biosorption process involves a solid phase (sorbent or biosorbent; biological material) and a liquid phase (solvent; generally water) containing a dissolved species to be sorbed (sorbate metal ions). Due to higher affinity of the sorbent for the sorbate species, the later is attracted and removed by different mechanisms. The state of biomass, type of biomaterials, properties of metal solution chemistry, and ambient environmental conditions such as pH, influence the mechanism of metal biosorption. Preliminary testing of solid-liquid absorption system is based on two types of investigations namely equilibrium batch sorption tests and dynamic continuous flow sorption studies. The aim of this chapter is to outline the types of bacteria, which are involved in different factors that affect the mechanism, the role of functional group and the analytical tools used in biosorption. Chapter 2 - Soil is an extremely complex ecosystem, which has high microbial diversity, mostly still unknown, although with great potential for biotechnological application. Yeasts are unicellular fungi found in soil in low population density when compared to bacteria and molds. However, indications that the yeasts have important functions in soil-plant system, as in nutrient cycling, biological control against plant pathogens and deleterious microorganisms and in plant growth promotion are reported in the literature. The release of nutrients from organic and inorganic insoluble sources is an important role of the yeasts in agricultural soils,

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Mohammad Miransari

and it could be an alternative source to plant nutrition. Some yeast species are excellent phosphate and potassium minerals solubilizers (Rosa et al., 2009), and studies already showed that the association between yeasts and mycorrhizae fungi results in better absorption of phosphorus by plants (Medina et al., 2004; Scervino at al., 2008). Williopsis californica presented favorable results in soil nitrification process (Wainwright and Falih, 1996). Some yeast species also have potential application as biological control agents against phytopatogens, and some of them can be found commercially for plant protection, mainly in post-harvesting fruits. Good results were attributed to the application of yeasts in field (ElTarabily and Sivasithamparam, 2006) for sorghum and sugar cane pathogen control (Rosa, 2009) and others. As plant growth promoters, some yeast species are able to produce growth phytohormones, especially indol acetic acid besides siderophore compounds. Studies have indicated the presence of endophytic yeasts in maize and banana roots, besides rice, tomato and wheat leaves (Nassar et al., 2005; Cao et al., 2002; Tian et al., 2004; Larran et al., 2001; Larran et al., 2002; Xin et al., 2009). The presence of these microorganisms in the plant tissues and the production of plant growth-promoting substances indicate the importance of the yeasts in agroecosystems. Studies in this area are important for the effective understanding of these microorganism functions in soil, besides the biofertilizer and biopesticide development with potential use in agroecological systems, aiming the replacing or decreasing of toxic chemical products, as agrochemicals and soluble fertilizers.This chapter aims to feature the contribution of the yeasts on the soil health, especially in agricultural soils. Chapter 3 - Bacillus thuringiensis is the most important biological cause for pest insect control that affects commercial crops. In the biopesticides market, this bacterium represents 100 millions of dollars/year. This bacterium is toxic to Lepidoptera, Coleoptera, Diptera, Hymenoptera and Mallophaga insect orders, among others. A great number of strains have been characterized with regard to their toxic factors, spores, genomes, habitat and biological activity. Only for Cry toxins (the most important lethal protein) at least 600 different sequences has been found and classified into 67 families groups. Some mechanism of action models have been proposed for Cry proteins that implies toxin activation and their recognition by larvae insect gut receptors. The other toxic component, the cytolitic proteins (Cyt proteins), interacts with membrane lipids in insect midgut. This technology is very useful to produce transgenic crops, which can control pests around the world. The microorganism lives in a widely spectrum of environmental places: the soil is the most important, but it has also been found in the leaves and dead insects. Our research has allowed us to find strains and proteins with an important future to protect commercial crops in Colombia, including Tuta absoluta, Tecia solanivora and Spodoptera frugiperda. In this chapter the bacterium and its diversity and how this multiplicity has important impact on their biological activity is presented. Our work in this context will integrate strain characterization, gene identification and biological tests into a lepidopteran model. The future prospects are discussed. Chapter 4 - Biological means of fertilization such as microbial biofertilizers and compost have been seen as promising alternatives in contrast to chemical fertilizers, primarily due to positive effects of the formers on plant growth and soil quality as well as the capability of bringing out the reduced risk of environmental damage and human health. To date, microbial biofertilizers are recognized as one of the effective means of fertilization that wield a range of beneficial effects in enhancing plant growth by an array of activities such as N2-fixation,

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decomposition of organic materials, increased nutrient availability, phytostimulation, suppression of plant diseases, synthesis of antibiotics, production of phytohormones, build up of soil fertility and structure in the long run, environmental and economical viability etc. However, the specificity of microbes for crop species, requirement of advanced production, storing and application technologies, lack of spectacular and quick results, importance as opportunistic pathogens, and poor survival under adverse conditions are the main disadvantages to be addressed in the biofertilizer industry. Compost application is also beneficial to enhance the soil physical, chemical and biological fertility, but the extent of these beneficial effects will depend on the origin of the compost, production process etc. The disadvantages of compost usage include the lack of quick results, needy of bulk volumes, leachate production, potential of ammonia generation, association of pathogens, heavy metals etc. Therefore, it is imperative to understand the beneficial and harmful impacts of the biofertilizer and compost applications in order to accomplish the maximum benefits. Thus, this chapter will focus on, diversity of biofertilizers and composts being used in agriculture, their agronomic value on the cropping systems and soil health, economic and environmental aspects and development of effective biofertilizers and composts. Finally the future concerns in addressing current problems of biofertilizers as well as composts are also discussed. Chapter 5 - We studied the effects of low-molecular-weight water-soluble derivatives of chitin, chitooligosaccharides (ChOS) with a molecular weight of 5–10 kD and the acetylation degree of 65% on expression and molecular heterogeneity of peroxidase and the content of hormones in wheat plants differing in their resistance to the causal soil pathogen of root rots Bipolaris sorokiniana. Plant infection or their treatment with ChOS induced expression of the gene for anionic peroxidase and enhanced enzyme activity, and these processes were dependent on the degree of wheat resistance. They were more intense in the resistant cultivar. In our experiments treatment of susceptible plants with ChOS prevented a pathogen-induced drop in the cytokinin level, thus simulating defensive responses, which are characteristic of the resistant plants. Chapter 6 - Heavy metals pollution by industrial activities and technological development is becoming one of the most serious environmental and human health hazards. Due to its widespread contamination, finding innovative ways to decontaminate metal pollutant has become a priority in the remediation of field. Bioremediation, which involves the use of potential microbes to remove heavy metals, has been considered to be a safe and economic alternative to physicochemical strategies. The crucial constraint of this technology is to obtain promising and useful metal-resistant strains from enormous microbes on earth. Recently, the benefits of endophytes, especially hyperaccumulator endophytes, alone and/or in combination with plants have been successfully tried for toxic heavy metal removal from contaminated water and soil. Endophytes refer to the microbes, which inhabit the interior of plant tissues and form a range of different relationships with the host plant including symbiotic, mutualistic, commensalistic and trophobiotic without causing any harm to the host. Most endophytes are originally from the rhizosphere or phyllosphere, while some may get entrance through the seed. Hyperaccumulator, a plant species that lives in the heavy metals contaminated soil, can accumulate exceptionally high quantities of certain heavy metal. It could also be functioned as ‗filters‘ while selecting those promising and useful metal-resistant strains from soil microbes. In addition, evidence has shown that such hyperaccumulator endophytes not only carry genes, which are responsible for the interactions of phenotypes facilitating metal-microbe but also possess amazing instincts to promote plant growth by

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various mechanisms such as nitrogen fixation, solubilization of minerals, production of phytohormones and siderophores, utilization of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid as a sole nitrogen source and transformation of nutrient elements. This chapter introduces the current progress of hyperaccumulator endophytes for heavy metals decontamination, and highlights the diversity and unique instincts of hyperaccumulator endophytes. Chapter 7 - Guava (Psidium guajava L.) is an important fruit crop of subtropical countries. It is grown almost in all the states of India. It is a hardy crop and is cultivated successfully even in neglected soils and is attacked by a large number of pathogens, mainly fungi. Wilt is the most destructive disease for guava plant in India and losses due to this disease are substantial every year in India and abroad. Psidium guajava wilt is known to occur from India, Latin America, Malaysia, Pakistan, South Africa, South Asia and Taiwan. Wilt of guava from India was first reported in 1935 from Allahabad. The disease is soil-borne and is difficult to control. Wilt is predominantly caused by the species of Fusarium, of which F. oxysporum is generally the main cause. The other species of Fusarium i.e. Fusarium solani are also dominates in isolation. Since, the disease results in the complete mortality of the affected plants, the loss is total. Although, severe loss is there in the annual crops also, huge monitory losses occur especially in perennial fruit trees as it is a loss of labour of several years. Guava is a crop where this disease is very serious and it can be said that this is the only disease of guava, which is threatening guava cultivation in India. It causes monitory as well as nutritional loss. The present communication, deals guava wilt to depict its present status. Chapter 8 - Spatial scale is an important matter for the assessment of any soil properties. Soil contains many microhabitats, which are suitable conditions for the growth and development of soil microbes. Consequently, bacteria and fungi may be spatially aggregated in soil, forming hotspots of microbial activity. Nevertheless, microbial activity rates may exhibit spatial continuity not only at this microscale, but also on larger scales. Forest soils are known to represent extremely heterogeneous environments. Spatial and temporal variation of the tree layer in density, age, diameter and height structure affects environmental conditions for soil microbial community in different ways. Directly, trees produce litter, which is decomposed by soil microorganisms, affect access of light and precipitations to soil, height and duration of snow cover, draw water and nutrients from the rhizosphere, and their roots enter in direct (frequently symbiotic) interactions with soil microorganisms. Indirectly, they affect the composition of ground vegetation, similarly influencing soil properties. Consequently, trees can significantly regulate soil temperature, moisture and nutrient regime, reflected in the soil microbial properties. Spatial heterogeneity of soil microbes must be characterized to more efficiently evaluate the relationships between soil and environmental factors, for modeling of energy and mass transport processes and to estimate soil attributes. Examples from central-European mountain forests were taken to illustrate the soil microbial variation at different scales and under the influence of different ecological processes. Chapter 9 - The last two decades have seen a renewed interest in organic farming and amelioration of soils affected by conventional agriculture. Different types of organic substances like farmyard manures, green manures, composts, sludges and effluents are added to the soil to enhance fertility. These organic amendments influence soil microbial populations and function. Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi are an integral component of most agricultural and natural systems, and provide a range of benefit to the host plant. The prime benefit of AM fungi to plants include improved nutrition especially phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N) in nutrient stressed soils. Other non-nutritional benefits include improved water

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relations, enhanced resistance to soil-borne pathogens, improved drought resistance, heavy metal tolerance and soil structure. As most crop and horticultural plants are mycorrhizal any factors that influence AM fungi affects plant growth and productivity. Organic amendments improve plant mycorrhization, AM fungal spore numbers and their diversity. However, certain organic sources rich in certain chemicals like phenols inhibit mycorrhization. The effect of organic amendments on AM fungi depends on the composition of the organic sources. Chapter 10 - Increasing recognition that agricultural intensification and soil pollution can adversely affect soil quality, modifying the number, diversity and activity of the soil microbiota, including symbiotic fungal populations, is being worldwide accepted.Soil is a living system, and this is a more accepted fact nowadays among researchers as well as farmers. Among the soil microbiota, plant symbiotic arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) associating with terrestrial and also with some aquatic plants have become the target of productive studies in agriculture, agroforestry, restoration of degraded lands and with endangered vegetal species. AMF are affected by disturbances in the ecosystems, like global change, pollution, fertilization, among others. AM fungi belong to Glomeromycota phylum, and form symbiotic associations with most plant species (80%). The presence and activity of AMF can be measured through different methodologies, both in the soil or in plants, indicating their biomass, activity, diversity and their interaction with plants. The need for an increased use of the AMF potential to counter the challenges of ecosystem restoration and food production is nowadays acknowledged. The purpose of this chapter is to provide evidence for researchers and decision-makers of the significant links between healthy ecosystems and human well-being, based on different case studies throughout the world. Relevant findings are emphasized, such as current information on the occurrence of symbioses in ecosystems, based on the results of research on cultivated and forested sites in Argentina and Brazil. AMF diversity is illustrated, and research directions necessary to gain further understanding of microbial associations for the wise management of ecosystem services are pointed out. Chapter 11 - Acacia auriculiformis, Cunn ex. Berth. is a preferred species for afforestation in India, on account of its adoptability to wide range of topographical and climatic profile. It can colonise in degraded barren land including refractory soils and a good copicer with ability to produce fuelwood and small timber. The plant is useful for moisture conservation and effective in treating problematic soil, especially of the drier zone waste land. This species can be used for revegetation of overburden dumps of open cast mines of Orissa. The influence of phosphate solubilizers and iron ore solubilizers on growth and yield of A. auriculiformis was evaluated so that the treated plant could adapt to stress environment of heavy metal contaminated soils effectively. Impact of six different phosphate-solubilizing fungi and five bacteria and four iron ore solubilizing fungi were assessed in nursery conditions. The combination of Penicillium chrysogenum Thom. and Penicillium griseofulvum Diercks was found to be superior over control in growth studies of Acacia auriculiformis when grown in sandy loam soil. Four months old seedlings of A. auriculiformis grown under nursery conditions and inoculated with Penicillium chrysogenum Thom exhibited 94.92 ± 4.04 cm shoot height, 151.92 ± 51.51 numbers of leaves, 12.0 ± 3.0 branches and 22.74 ± 4.7 g total biomass per plant ( P