Applied Agriculture - Research Publications

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Evaluation of genetic fidelity of in vitro raised plants of Dendrocalamus asper (Schult. & Schult. F.) Backer ex K. Heyne using DNA-based markers
(2013) Singh, S.R.; Dalal, S.; Singh, R.; Dhawan, A.K.; Kalia, R.K.
Dendrocalamus asper, an edible bamboo is valued for its tender edible shoots in the food industry. However, overexploitation of natural stands of D. asper coupled with minimal conservation and reforestation efforts has led to its rapid depletion in nature. Therefore protocol for rapid multiplication of D. asper via direct regeneration using nodal segments from mature clumps was standardized and more than 25,000 plants were transferred to the field (Singh et al. 2012a). However, genetic fidelity of these in vitro raised plants needs to be authenticated for commercial scale application of the developed micropropagation protocol. PCR-based molecular markers have emerged as simple, fast, reliable and labor-effective tools for testing the genetic fidelity of in vitro raised plants. This study report the genetic fidelity analysis of in vitro raised plants of D. asper for the first time using arbitrary (Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA, RAPD), semi-arbitrary (Inter-Simple Sequence Repeat, ISSR; Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism, AFLP), and sequence-based (Simple Sequence Repeat, SSR) markers. Bulked DNA samples of 20 in vitro raised shoots (collected after every three subculture cycles starting from 3rd to 30th passage) and field transferred plantlets were compared with the mother plant DNA using 90 primer combinations (25 each of RAPD, ISSR, SSR, and 15 AFLP) and scorable bands were produced by 78 (22 RAPD, 24 ISSR, 21 SSR, and 11 AFLP) primers. A total of 146 distinct and scorable bands were produced by 22 RAPD primers with an average of 6. 6 bands per primer while the number of bands for ISSR primers varied from 3 (ISSR-4 and 9) to 13 (ISSR-17), with an average of 7. 1 bands per primer. Similarly, SSR markers also showed wide variation in number of bands, ranging from 2 (RM 261) to 12 (RM 44, 140, and 224) with an average of 7. 8 bands. AFLP primer combinations could generate 35-72 bands with an average of 48. 7 bands per primer pair. Amplification of monomorphic bands with all primer combinations authenticated the true to type nature of the in vitro raised plants of D. asper which underwent up to 30 subculture passages over a period of approximately 2 years thereby supporting the commercial utilization of the developed micropropagation protocol. ? 2012 Franciszek G?rski Institute of Plant Physiology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Krak
Composition, bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity of common Indian fruits and vegetables
(Springer India, 2016) Singh,Jatinder Pal; Kaur, Amritpal; Shevkani, Khetan; Singh, Narpinder
The present work was undertaken to evaluate the chemical composition (proximate, minerals and dietary fibre), colour parameters, antioxidant activity and polyphenol profiles of different fruits (pomegranate, kinnow, mango, banana, jambolan, grapes and sapodilla) and vegetables (beetroot, brinjal, orange carrot, bitter gourd, mentha and spinach). The amount of insoluble dietary fibre was higher than soluble dietary fibre for all fruits and vegetables. Vegetables showed superior mineral composition (higher amounts of K, Ca and Fe) as compared to fruits. Total phenolic content (TPC) and antioxidant activity (ABTS and DPPH) ranged from 354.9 to 1639.7?mg?GAE/100?g, 2.6 to 5.5 and 3.0 to 6.3?mM?TE/g, respectively for different fruits, while it ranged from 179.3 to 1028.6?mg?GAE/100?g, 2.1 to 4.7 and 2.0 to 5.0?mM?TE/g, respectively for different vegetables. Gallic acid, protocatechuic acid, catechin, caffeic acid, ferulic acid, sinapic acid, quercetin, resveratrol and kaempferol were detected and quantified in different fruits and vegetables. The results highlighted that fruit peels could be used as valuable sources of minerals and polyphenols having high antioxidant activity. ? 2016, Association of Food Scientists & Technologists (India).
Bioactive constituents in pulses and their health benefits
(Springer India, 2017) Singh,Balwinder; Singh, Jatinder Pal; Shevkani, Khetan; Singh, Narpinder; Kaur, Amritpal
Pulses are good sources of bioactive compounds such as polyphenols, phytosterols and non-digestible carbohydrates that play important physiological as well as metabolic roles. These compounds vary in concentration amongst different pulse species and varieties. Pulse seed coats are rich in water-insoluble fibres and polyphenols (having high antioxidant activities), while cotyledons contain higher soluble fibres, oligosaccharides, slowly digestible and resistant starch content. Ferulic acid is the most abundant phenolic acid present in pulses, while flavonol glycosides, anthocyanins and tannins are responsible for the seed coat colour. Sitosterol (most abundant), stigmasterol, and campesterol are the major phytosterols present in pulses. Pulse fibres, resistant starch and oligosaccharides function as probiotics and possess several other health benefits such as anti-inflammatory, anti-tumour, and reduce glucose as well as lipid levels. Beans and peas contain higher amounts of oligosaccharides than other pulses. Processing methods affect resistant starch, polyphenol composition and generally increase antioxidant activities of different pulses. In this review, the current information on pulse polyphenols, phytosterols, resistant starch, dietary fibre, oligosaccharides, antioxidant and associated health benefits are discussed. ? 2016, Association of Food Scientists & Technologists (India).
Wheat starch production, structure, functionality and applications :a review
(Blackwell Publishing Ltd, 2017) Shevkani, Khetan; Singh, 2 Narpinder; Bajaj, Ritika; Kaur, Amritpal
Starch is the main component of wheat having a number of food and industrial applications. Thousands of cultivars/varieties of different wheat types and species differing in starch functionality (thermal, retrogradation, pasting and nutritional properties) are grown throughout the world. These properties are related to starch composition, morphology and structure, which vary with genetics, agronomic and environmental conditions. Starches from soft wheat contain high amounts of surface lipids and proteins and exhibit lower paste viscosity, whereas that from hard cultivars contain high proportion of small granules and amylose content but lower gelatinization temperature and enthalpy. Waxy starches exhibit higher-percentage crystallinity, gelatinization temperatures, swelling power, paste viscosities and digestibility, but lower-setback viscosity, rate of retrogradation and levels of starch lipids and proteins than normal and high-amylose starches. Starches with high levels of lipids are less susceptible towards gelatinization, swelling and retrogradation and are good source of resistant starch, while that with high proportion of long amylopectin chains are more crystalline, gelatinize at high temperatures, increase paste viscosity, retrograde to a greater extent and decrease starch digestibility (high resistant and slowly digestible starch and low rapidly digestible starch). ? 2016 Institute of Food Science and Technology
Melting, crystallization and storage stability of virgin coconut oil and its blends by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR)
(Springer India, 2017) Srivastava, Y.; Semwal, A.D.; Sajeevkumar, V.A.; Sharma, G.K.
The blends were prepared of virgin coconut oil with refined soyabean oil (VCO-RSOY) and refined safflower oil (VCO-RSAFF). Blending with VCO improved the fatty acid composition which increased the shelf stability of 20:80 VCO-RSOY and VCO-RSAFF up to 12?months in different packaging systems such as low density polyethylene, linear low density polyethylene, metalized polyester pouches, polyethylene teteraphthalate, high density polyethylene (HDPE), Amber HDPE bottle. The specific spectral regions of FTIR proved to be very useful for the determination of adulteration as well as for the study of oxidation process. Band shifts observed at 3008, 1652, 1397, 1097, 912 and 845?cm?1 have been used to differentiate RSAFF from VCO. VCO spectrums did not have these chemical shifts. Further the spectrum of RSOY showed same band shifts as RSAFF except 1652, 1397, 869.6 and 845?cm?1. Differential Scanning Calorimetry provided useful information regarding the nature of thermodynamic changes related to physical state of vegetable oil. The physical state changes included melting and crystallization events which require the intake and release of energy. ? 2016, Association of Food Scientists & Technologists (India).
Wheat starch production, structure, functionality and applications-a review
(Blackwell Publishing Ltd, 2017) Shevkani, Khetan; Singh, Narpinder; Bajaj, Ritika; Kaur, Amritpal
Starch is the main component of wheat having a number of food and industrial applications. Thousands of cultivars/varieties of different wheat types and species differing in starch functionality (thermal, retrogradation, pasting and nutritional properties) are grown throughout the world. These properties are related to starch composition, morphology and structure, which vary with genetics, agronomic and environmental conditions. Starches from soft wheat contain high amounts of surface lipids and proteins and exhibit lower paste viscosity, whereas that from hard cultivars contain high proportion of small granules and amylose content but lower gelatinization temperature and enthalpy. Waxy starches exhibit higher-percentage crystallinity, gelatinization temperatures, swelling power, paste viscosities and digestibility, but lower-setback viscosity, rate of retrogradation and levels of starch lipids and proteins than normal and high-amylose starches. Starches with high levels of lipids are less susceptible towards gelatinization, swelling and retrogradation and are good source of resistant starch, while that with high proportion of long amylopectin chains are more crystalline, gelatinize at high temperatures, increase paste viscosity, retrograde to a greater extent and decrease starch digestibility (high resistant and slowly digestible starch and low rapidly digestible starch).
Structural, Morphological, Thermal, and Pasting Properties of Starches From Diverse Indian Potato Cultivars
(Wiley-VCH Verlag, 2018) Singh, Narpinder; Kaur, Amritpal; Shevkani, Khetan; Ezekiel, Rajrathnam; Kaur, Prabhjot; Isono,Naoto; Noda, Takahiro
Starches from 42 diverse Indian potato cultivars are evaluated for diversity in structural (amylose content and amylopectin chain length distribution), morphological (granules size distribution), thermal, and pasting properties. Amylose content varied between 6.5 and 32.2% while the proportion of short (DP 6?12), medium (DP 13?18), and long (DP 19?30) amylopectin chains varied in the range from 37.2 to 45.4%, 35.6 to 39.1%, and 17.8 to 24.5%, respectively. Starches with higher transition temperature showed lower enthalpy of gelatinization. The proportion of small granules (<10 ?m) correlated negatively to short amylopectin chains (DP 6?12), peak viscosity, and breakdown viscosity. Transition and pasting temperature related negatively to the proportion of short and medium chains of amylopectin (DP 6?12 and 13?18, respectively), while positively to that of long chains (DP 19?30). Peak viscosity and breakdown viscosity has a negative relation while the final and setback viscosity have a positive relation with long amylopectin chains. ? 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim
Virgin Coconut Oil as Functional Oil
(Elsevier, 2018) Srivastava, Yashi; Semwal, Anil D; Sharma, Gopal K
Virgin coconut oil (VCO) is the freshly obtained mature kernel of the coconut, by mechanical or natural means, with or without the use of heat and without undergoing chemical refining. When compared to copra coconut oil (CCO), marginal differences exist with respect to iodine value, saponification value, refractive index, fatty acid profile, specific gravity, and moisture content. VCO has many health benefits, such as preventing the oxidation of low density lipoprotein lipid increasing the antioxidant enzymes. Additionally, total polyphenol, antioxidant activity, tocopherol, phytosterol, monoglycerides, and diglyceride content in VCO samples are different from CCO samples. In vivo studies on Wistar albino rats prove that VCO samples are better in reducing hypercholesterimia and diabetes. VCO was found to be good frying oil in terms of stability and acceptability after 8 h of frying of soaked Bengal gram dhal. Blends of VCO were found to be stable for up to 12 months of storage in various flexible and rigid packaging systems, at varying temperatures. After VCO extraction, the resulting residual material obtained, termed as virgin coconut meal (VCM), has been used to make different traditional Indian sweets (ladoo & burfi) as well as baked goods (biscuit & cake).
Enzymatic Browning of Fruit and Vegetables: A Review
(Springer, 2018) Kanchan, Balwinder Singh; Suri, Kanchan; Shevkani, Khetan; Kaur, Amritpal; Kaur, Amarbir; Singh, Narpinder
Enzymatic browning in fruits and vegetables occurs by exposure to the air after cutting and slicing and in pulped states, mechanical damage during transportation, and thawing of frozen or cold stored foods. Polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and peroxidase (POD) are the main enzymes responsible for browning. PPO is classified as an oxidoreductase enzyme with four atoms of copper as a prosthetic group. It catalyzes the oxidation of functional OH group attached to the carbon atom of the benzene ring of monohydroxy phenols (phenol, tyrosine, p-cresol) to o-dihydroxy phenols (catechol, dopamine, adrenalin) and dehydrogenation of o-dihydroxy phenols to o-quinones. The oxidation of phenolic compounds to quinones and production of melanin give rise to a dark color in the foods. The POD is thermostable enzyme that belongs to a group of oxidases that use H2O2 as a catalyst for oxidation of phenolic compounds. The POD is related to undesirable changes in flavor, texture, color, and the nutritional quality of foods. The level of PPO and POD varies in fruits and vegetables and their content changes with maturity and senescence depending upon the ratio of bounded and soluble enzymes. Change in color of fruits and vegetables by enzymatic reactions is a major problem during harvesting, transportation, storage, and processing. Color deterioration, off-flavor, and loss of nutritive value in foods are unacceptable to the consumers. The purpose of this chapter is to provide information available in the literature on PPO and POD in different fruits and vegetables, their role in browning/color changes, and available prevention methods.
Prioritization for Monitoring and Evaluation (PME) of Agribusiness Projects
(Bioinfo Publications, 2018) Reddy, S. Vijayachandra; Patil, Chidanand; Reddy, B. S.
Agribusiness is the key for sustainable development in agriculture. The growth of both agriculture growth and industrialization can be achieved from Agribusiness enterprises alone. Agriculture continues to support numerous downstream linkages with industry by becoming a supplier of vital industrial raw material. Due to higher dependency on agriculture country such as India will be always associated potential economic growth for Food processing Industry, which will establish better linkages between end user and agriculture. Government also has accorded a high priority to the sector and has provided many fiscal incentives.
Growth and Performance of Indian Tourism Industry
(New Centuary Publications, 2018) Patil, Chidannd; Chaitra, G. B.
Effect of degree of milling on physicochemical, structural, pasting and cooking properties of short and long grain Indica rice cultivars
(Elsevier Ltd, 2018) Sandhu, Rubrinder Singh; Singh, Narpinder; Kaler, R.S.S.; Kaur, Amritpal; Shevkani, Khetan
The effects of degree of milling (DOM) between 0 and 8% on physico-chemical, structural, pasting and cooking properties of short and long grain Indica rice cultivars were studied. Ash, protein, lipids and minerals decreased while blue value and crystallinity increased with increase in DOM. The colour parameters (a? b?) and cooking time (CT) decreased while L?(lightness) increased with increase in DOM. Elongation ratio (ER), gruel solid loss (GSL), length/breadth (L/B) and paste viscosities during cooking increased with increase in DOM. Short grain rice contained lower ash, protein, lipids, Mn, K, Ca, CT and GSL than long grain while the later showed higher crystallinity, Mn, P, K, Ca and ER. Paste and dough characteristics measured using Rheometer and Mixolab, respectively correlated well and differed with cultivar and DOM. Short and long grain cultivars showed variation in loss of different chemical constituents during varied DOM causing variation in cooking characteristics. ? 2018 Elsevier Ltd
Recent Trends and Advancements in Agricultural Research: An Overview
(Society of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry, 2018) Sharma, Mohit; Patil, Chidanand
Do you know the most precious thing happening in Indian Agriculture? Few keywords such as food, organic farming, climate change and improved farming techniques may strike to your mind. But the recent improvements in agriculture are way more advanced. These advancements along with the increase in urbanization are major drivers for the evolution of agricultural research. Recent trends in the area of Agricultural Research comprise of Eco-Agro-tourism, Big Data Analytics, Climate Smart Agriculture, Advanced Marketing Linkages, Integrated Farming System, etc. These trends are important not only from the research context but also from the policy point of view towards ambitious goal of doubling farmers’ income by 2022. In today’s’ era technology plays a very important role in encouraging farmers to take up entrepreneurial ventures and agro-based industries. Recent research has also spoken about combining Agriculture technology with the Information technology for improving the agricultural output. Traditional farming approach need to be replaced with the modern farming approaches like Integrated Farming System, Vertical Farming, Forward and Backward integration, etc. With the increase in population and limited resource availability, research related to Urban Agriculture is being emphasized which encourages the urban population to go for organic cultivation for healthy and safe produce. With the increase in per capita income, consumers are willing to spend more on quality products which is impacting backward linkages towards farmers to adopt good practices at production level. For mitigating the environmental challenges, research is focusing on Climate Smart Agricultural Techniques like DSR (Direct Seeded Rice) which reduces the water usage by about 50 to 60 percent and methane gas emission to a large extent ultimately helping the farmers to earn more carbon credits. In nutshell, it can be stated that along with coping up the major challenges such as climate change, boosting farmers’ income and feeding the billions, above stated trends in agricultural research are seen as ray of hope for sustaining Indian agriculture.
Pulse proteins: secondary structure, functionality and applications
(Springer, 2019) Shevkani, Khetan; Singh, N; Chen, Y; Kaur ,A; Yu, L.
Pulses are the second most important source of food for humans after cereals. They hold an important position in human nutrition. They are rich source of proteins, complex carbohydrates, essential vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals and are low in lipids. Pulses are also considered the most suitable for preparing protein ingredients (concentrates and isolates) because of their high protein content, wide acceptability and low cost. In addition, pulse proteins exhibit functional properties (foaming and emulsification, water and fat absorption and gelation) as well as nutraceutical/health benefiting-properties which makes them healthier and low cost alternative to conventional protein sources like soy, wheat and animals. Proteins from different pulses (beans, peas, lentils, cowpeas, chickpeas, pigeon peas, etc.) differ in their composition and structure hence for finished product suitability. Therefore, this article aimed to review composition, structure–function relationship and current applications of different pulse proteins in the food industry. © 2019, Association of Food Scientists & Technologists (India).
Effect of chickpea and spinach on extrusion behavior of corn grit
(Springer, 2019) Shevkani, Khetan; Singh, N; Rattan, B; Singh, J.P; Kaur, A; Singh, B.
The present work was carried out to see the effect of blending of corn grit (CG) with varying levels of chickpea grit (CP 0–100%) and spinach leaf powder (SP 0–6%) on the characteristics [color, expansion, density, hardness, water absorption index, total phenolic content (TPC), antioxidant activity (AOA; as DPPH and ABTS free radical scavenging activities)] and sensory properties of extrudates. CP and SP were rich in proteins and minerals (Cu, Fe, Zn, Mg, Ca, K and Na). Their blending significantly influenced the physicochemical and antioxidant properties of CG extrudates. TPC and AOA of extrudates increased with the increased incorporation of CP and SP, though specific mechanical energy and extrudate expansion, generally, decreased while density and hardness increased. Sensory analysis revealed that CP and SP at incorporation levels of 25% and 4%, respectively could be blended with CG for making highly acceptable antioxidant-rich expanded snack. © 2019, Association of Food Scientists & Technologists (India).
Trending biocontrol strategies against Cronobacter sakazakii: A recent updated review
(Elsevier, 2020) Chauhan, R; Singh, N; Pal, G.K; Goel, G.
Cronobacter sakazakii is an emerging foodborne pathogen, causing life-threatening infections in newborns and premature infants. Cronobacter spp. can survive under difficult processing conditions thereby contaminate the Powdered Infant Formula (PIF) during the manufacturing process. Infantile infections are associated with the consumption of contaminated PIF that was either contaminated intrinsically or extrinsically. This necessitates the development of sustainable strategies to manage the risk of Cronobacter infections. Natural methods of preservation holds promise as a viable alternative strategy to address the critical problem of emerging antimicrobial resistance and also to limit the negative effects of commonly used physico-chemical methods in food processing. The present study reviews the efficacies, potentials and developmental trends of biological antagonists and a combinatorial therapy to eliminate C. sakazakii using in vitro and in vivo methods. The mode of action of each biocontrol method has been discussed comprehensively. Most of these biocontrol agents interfere with the cell membrane integrity and its functions. However, none of the individual methods are able to eliminate the pathogen completely from the model food system i.e. reconstituted PIF. Each of the biological control strategies (agent) has its limitations in terms of their dose and method of application. A synergistic effect has been observed between the biological agent and physico-chemical treatments that may have the potential to ensure pathogen-free foods. Future research studies should evaluate the synergistic activities of these methods for their implication in infant foods as well as to understand the mechanisms of inactivation. 2020 Elsevier Ltd
A comprehensive review on processing, therapeutic benefits, challenges, and economic scenario of unconventional oils
(Blackwell Publishing Ltd, 2020-12-01T00:00:00) Srivastava, Yashi; Semwal, Anil D.; Dhiman, Aishwarya
The review aims to focus on the processing and economic challenges of these oil industries (lack of organized cultivation, collection, processing, research, and market linking) and fetch the attention toward the application of green technology. The present article provides a systematic view to open a new sphere of understanding for unconventional oilseeds with its geographical distribution, chemical composition, health benefits, and research. Further, new sources of unconventional oil (cottonseed, rice bran, sal seed, mango kernel, etc.) may impart an alternative source of edible oil, which can fulfill the country's edible oil deficit with economic contribution. In inference, the combined evidence supports the assertion that unconventional sources of oils may provide an alternatives to major seed oils. Practical applications: Unconventional oils are the new boosting area to upthrust the production of edible oils and reduce the dependence of oil import from other countries. The emerging green technologies for oil extraction shall consider as high oil yield methods. There are many unconventional oil seeds which are still required to be the area for research and commercial application. The present article focused on the market scenario, health benefits of these oil seeds. � 2020 Wiley Periodicals LLC.
A comprehensive review on processing, therapeutic benefits, challenges, and economic scenario of unconventional oils
(Blackwell Publishing Ltd, 2020-12-01T00:00:00) Srivastava, Yashi; Semwal, Anil D.; Dhiman, Aishwarya
The review aims to focus on the processing and economic challenges of these oil industries (lack of organized cultivation, collection, processing, research, and market linking) and fetch the attention toward the application of green technology. The present article provides a systematic view to open a new sphere of understanding for unconventional oilseeds with its geographical distribution, chemical composition, health benefits, and research. Further, new sources of unconventional oil (cottonseed, rice bran, sal seed, mango kernel, etc.) may impart an alternative source of edible oil, which can fulfill the country's edible oil deficit with economic contribution. In inference, the combined evidence supports the assertion that unconventional sources of oils may provide an alternatives to major seed oils. Practical applications: Unconventional oils are the new boosting area to upthrust the production of edible oils and reduce the dependence of oil import from other countries. The emerging green technologies for oil extraction shall consider as high oil yield methods. There are many unconventional oil seeds which are still required to be the area for research and commercial application. The present article focused on the market scenario, health benefits of these oil seeds. � 2020 Wiley Periodicals LLC.
Microbial-based inoculants in sustainable agriculture: Current perspectives and future prospects
(Elsevier, 2021-03-26T00:00:00) Dukare, Ajinath; Paul, Sangeeta; Kumar, Roshan; Sharma, Vikas
The incessant use of agrochemicals for improved soil fertility and plant productivity has caused negative environmental impacts, including contamination of soil, groundwater, and aquifers. Hence, eco-friendly methods of plant and soil nutrient management are required to maintain sustained crop productivity and ecological stability. Beneficial microbial inoculants are potential elements of such management approaches. With the latest studies, this chapter summarizes the efforts in using beneficial microbes including plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria and mycorrhizal fungi for improving plant growth and its nutritional quality in a sustained manner. Studies with many microbial inoculants have demonstrated their beneficial role in plant growth through effective root colonization and induction of plant growth support mechanisms. Direct plant growth support by root associated microbes is mediated through enhanced nutrient acquisition and hormonal activation. Numerous antifungal activities of microbes, associated with pathogen inhibition, are usually linked to providing superior plant growth. Some inoculants have been found useful in abiotic stress alleviation and nutritional fortification of edible crops. The use of modern scientific advances for improving performances of microbial inoculants under stressed agriculture is also gaining scientific attention. Overall, the exploitation of beneficial microorganisms and their useful interactions with plants offer promising and eco-friendly strategies in the development of organic agriculture globally. � 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Microbial-based inoculants in sustainable agriculture: Current perspectives and future prospects
(Elsevier, 2021-03-26T00:00:00) Dukare, Ajinath; Paul, Sangeeta; Kumar, Roshan; Sharma, Vikas
The incessant use of agrochemicals for improved soil fertility and plant productivity has caused negative environmental impacts, including contamination of soil, groundwater, and aquifers. Hence, eco-friendly methods of plant and soil nutrient management are required to maintain sustained crop productivity and ecological stability. Beneficial microbial inoculants are potential elements of such management approaches. With the latest studies, this chapter summarizes the efforts in using beneficial microbes including plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria and mycorrhizal fungi for improving plant growth and its nutritional quality in a sustained manner. Studies with many microbial inoculants have demonstrated their beneficial role in plant growth through effective root colonization and induction of plant growth support mechanisms. Direct plant growth support by root associated microbes is mediated through enhanced nutrient acquisition and hormonal activation. Numerous antifungal activities of microbes, associated with pathogen inhibition, are usually linked to providing superior plant growth. Some inoculants have been found useful in abiotic stress alleviation and nutritional fortification of edible crops. The use of modern scientific advances for improving performances of microbial inoculants under stressed agriculture is also gaining scientific attention. Overall, the exploitation of beneficial microorganisms and their useful interactions with plants offer promising and eco-friendly strategies in the development of organic agriculture globally. � 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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