1;Preface;6 2;Contents;8 3;Contributors;10 4;Chapter 1: Emerging Role of Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria in Agrobiology;14 4.1;1.1 Introduction;14 4.2;1.2 Soil and Rhizosphere in Sustainable Agriculture;15 4.3;1.3 Beneficial Bacteria;16 4.4;1.4 Crop Ecosystem;21 4.5;1.5 PGPR in Agrobiology;22 4.5.1;1.5.1 Cereals;22 4.5.2;1.5.2 Oilseeds;24 4.5.3;1.5.3 Fruits, Vegetables, and Cash Crops;26 4.5.4;1.5.4 Legumes;28 4.5.5;1.5.5 Forestry;31 4.5.6;1.5.6 Mulberry (Sericulture);33 4.6;1.6 Limitations Associated with PGPR;34 4.7;1.7 Conclusion and Future Prospects;35 4.8;References;36 5;Chapter 2: Bacillus as PGPR in Crop Ecosystem;50 5.1;2.1 Introduction;50 5.2;2.2 Ecology of Bacillus and Paenibacillus Species;52 5.2.1;2.2.1 Distribution, Diversity, and Population Dynamics;52 5.2.2;2.2.2 Spatiotemporal Aspects;54 5.2.3;2.2.3 Rhizospheric Effect and Host Specificity;55 5.2.4;2.2.4 Endophytic Colonization and Plant Growth Promotion;57 5.3;2.3 Phtyostimulation and Biofertilization Effects;58 5.3.1;2.3.1 Phytostimulation;58 5.3.2;2.3.2 Biofertilization;59 5.4;2.4 Biological Control: Gram-Positive Perspectives;60 5.4.1;2.4.1 Success Stories of Bacillus Species as Biocontrol Agents;61 5.4.1.1;2.4.1.1 Antibiosis;62 5.4.1.2;2.4.1.2 Quorum Quenching and Biological Control;62 5.4.1.3;2.4.1.3 Induced Systemic Resistance: Ecological Significance and Applicability;64 5.4.1.4;2.4.1.4 Greenhouse Studies on Induction of Plant Resistance Systems;64 5.4.1.5;2.4.1.5 Field Experiments for Protection Against Systemic Disease;65 5.5;2.5 Conclusions;66 5.6;References;67 6;Chapter 3: Endophytic Bacteria: Perspectives and Applications in Agricultural Crop Production;73 6.1;3.1 Introduction;73 6.2;3.2 ``Endophytes´´ What It Means?;74 6.3;3.3 Sources of Endophytic Bacteria;75 6.4;3.4 Modes of Entry of Endophytes;75 6.5;3.5 Endophytic Movement Inside the Plant;79 6.6;3.6 Endophytic Colonization in Plant Tissues;79 6.7;3.7 Ecology of Endophytic Bacteria;81 6.8;3.8 Endophytes and Their Role in Plants;82 6.9;3.9 Beneficial Effects on Plant;84 6.10;3.10 Endophytic Diazotrophs;84 6.11;3.11 Endophyte´s Physiological Role;87 6.12;3.12 Biotization;88 6.13;3.13 Biological Control;91 6.14;3.14 Rice Endophytes;92 6.15;3.15 Sugarcane Endophyte;94 6.16;3.16 Conclusion;98 6.17;References;99 7;Chapter 4: PGPR Interplay with Rhizosphere Communities and Effect on Plant Growth and Health;109 7.1;4.1 Introduction;109 7.2;4.2 Interplay with Eukaryotic Hosts: The Human Pathogenic Potential of PGPR;110 7.3;4.3 The Rhizosphere as Reservoir for Potential Human Pathogenic Bacteria;111 7.4;4.4 Caenorhabditis elegans: A Model to Assess Potential Human Pathogenic Bacteria;112 7.5;4.5 Interplay with Rhizosphere Communities: The Impact on the Environment;115 7.6;4.6 Conclusions;118 7.7;References;118 8;Chapter 5: Impact of Spatial Heterogeneity Within Spermosphere and Rhizosphere Environments on Performance of Bacterial Biological Control Agents;122 8.1;5.1 Introduction;122 8.2;5.2 The Spermosphere and Rhizosphere Influence Behavior of Bacterial Biological Control Agents;123 8.3;5.3 Soil Factors Influence Biological Control Agents in the Spermosphere and Rhizosphere;124 8.3.1;5.3.1 Plants Influence the Complexity and Heterogeneity of the Spermosphere and Rhizosphere;125 8.3.1.1;5.3.1.1 Plant Inputs Serve as Nutrients and Influence the Behavior of Biological Control Bacteria;126 8.3.1.2;5.3.1.2 The Distribution and Bioavailability of Nutrient Compounds to Bacterial Biological Control Agents Are Nonuniform in the Spermosphere and Rhizosphere;130 8.3.1.3;5.3.1.3 Molecules Released by Plants into the Spermosphere and Rhizosphere Can Have Detrimental Effects on Residing Microorganisms, Including Biological Control Bacteria;132 8.3.1.4;5.3.1.4 Indigenous Microbial Communities Are Distributed Nonuniformly in the Spermosphere and Rhizosphere;132 8.3.1.5;5.3.1.5 Biological Control Agents Must Colonize the Rhizosphere for Effective Disease Suppression to Occur;133 8.4;5.4 Conclusion;134 8.5;Referen