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Fungi as a Biological Tool for Sustainable Agriculture

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Agriculturally Important Fungi for Sustainable Agriculture

Part of the book series: Fungal Biology ((FUNGBIO))

Abstract

The rising demand for environmentally friendly, organic, and sustainable agricultural practices is driving the application on the use of beneficial biological products. Sustainability has become an integral component of the agriculture system. The use of fungi in agriculture sector is potentially useful for improved plant health and growth, water uptake, nutrient availability, stress tolerance, and biocontrol. Fungal species served as a very important biological tool in sustainable agricultural ecosystem with the process of mycoremediation, mycocontrol—mycoherbicides, mycoinsecticides, and as mycorrhiza fungi. Examples of fungi used as mycoremediators are—Pleurotus ostreatus, Rhizopus arrhizus, Phanerochaete chrysosporium, P. sordid, Trametes hirsute, T. versicolor, Lentinus edodes, and L. tigrinus. The fungi plays a pivotal role in the process of mycoremediation, mycocontrol, mycoherbicides, mycoinsecticides, as mycorrhizal fungi and have potential role for attaining sustainable agricultural systems. The chapter aims to study the role of fungi and ways to exploits their potential to remediate polluted soil and build a sustainable agriculture system.

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Acknowledgments

The author thanks Dr. V K Modi, Director AIFT, AUUP for valuable guidance and expertise. I also thank my colleagues, Dr. Renu Khedkar and Dr. Karuna Singh for their valuable suggestions and support. I would also like to show my gratitude to Mr. Puneet for his contributions in designing figures.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Amity Institute of Food Technology, Amity University, Sector 125, Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India

    Monika Thakur

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  1. Monika Thakur
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biotechnology, Dr. Khem Singh Gill Akal College of Agriculture, Eternal University, Sirmour, Himachal Pradesh, India

    Ajar Nath Yadav

  2. Biotechnology, QCQA Laboratory, Biotech Park, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India

    Shashank Mishra

  3. Department of Biotechnology, Dr. Khem Singh Gill Akal College of Agriculture, Eternal University, Baru Sahib, Sirmour, India

    Divjot Kour

  4. Gopi Nath P.G. College, Veer Bahadur Singh Purvanchal University, Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh, India

    Neelam Yadav

  5. Rani Lakshmi Bai Central Agricultural University, Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh, India

    Anil Kumar

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Thakur, M. (2020). Fungi as a Biological Tool for Sustainable Agriculture. In: Yadav, A., Mishra, S., Kour, D., Yadav, N., Kumar, A. (eds) Agriculturally Important Fungi for Sustainable Agriculture. Fungal Biology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-45971-0_11

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