Biotechnology of Fungi for Improving Plant Growth

Based on a 1988 British Mycological Society symposium, this book reviews how fungi can improve plant growth.

J. M. Whipps (Edited by), R. D. Lumsden (Edited by)

9780521382366, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 11 January 1990

316 pages
23.6 x 15.5 x 2.2 cm, 0.648 kg

"...should serve admirably to raise the level of awareness and understanding of these common problems among disparate groups of scientists that do not normally follow each others' respective literatures. The editors are to be congratulated for assembling such an interesting and diverse range of approaches to using fungi to protect and to increase overall productivity in agricultural and silvicultural systems." Richard A. Humber, Mycologia

Based on a British Mycological Society symposium held in September 1988, this book provides a timely review of the increasingly diverse ways in which fungi are being used to improve plant growth and examines the reasons for the rapid advancement in their commercialisation. Reflecting the increasing interest in biocontrol, a significant proportion of the book considers fungi as biocontrol agents, examining their specific use in the control of weeds, parasitic insects and nematodes, and plant pathogenic fungi, as well as covering more general commercial and environmental aspects. Relevant techniques in molecular biology are described and their possible application in this area examined. Chapters on the use of mutualistically symbiotic mycorrhizal fungi for the improvement of plant growth are also included.

Contributors
Preface
1. The use of specific ectomycorrhizas to improve artificial forestation practices D. H. Marx and C. E. Cordell
2. The cultivation of ectomycorrhizal fungi L. M. Harvey, J. E. Smith, B. Kristiansen, J. Neill and E. Senior
3. Potentialities and procedures for the use of endomycorrhizas with special emphasis on high value crops S. Gianinazzi, V. Gianinazzi-Pearson and A. Trouvelot
4. The use of fungi to control pests of agricultural and horticultural importance A. T. Gillespie and E. R. Moorhouse
5. Mechanisms of fungal pathogenesis in insects A. K. Charnley
6. Improvement of fungi to enhance mycoherbicide potential G. E. Templeton and D. K. Heiny
7. Fungi as biological control agents for plant parasitic nematodes B. R. Kerry
8. Selection, production, formulation and commercial use of plant disease biocontrol fungi: problems and progress R. D. Lumsden and J. A. Lewis
9. Mechanisms of biological disease control with special reference to the case study of Pythium oligandrum as an antagonist K. Lewis, J. M. Whipps and R. C. Cooke
10. Some perspectives on the application of molecular approaches to biocontrol problems R. Baker
11. Protoplast technology and strain selection M. J. Hocart and J. F. Peberdy
12. Commercial approaches to the use of biological control agents K. Powell and J. L. Faull
13. The environmental challenge to biological control of plant pathogens A. Renwick and N. Poole.

Subject Areas: Mycology, fungi [non-medical PSQ]