1;Preface;5<br />2;Contents;7<br />3;Contributors;24<br />4;1 The State of the Art;31<br />5;2 Root Colonisation Following Seed Inoculation;42<br />5.1;1 Introduction;42<br />5.2;2 Bacterial Root Colonisation;42<br />5.3;3 Analysis of Tomato Root Tip Colonisation After Seed Inoculation Using a Gnotobiotic Assay;43<br />5.4;4 Genetic Tools for Studying Root Colonisation;47<br />5.5;5 Behaviour of Root-Colonising Pseudomonas Bacteria in a Gnotobiotic System;51<br />5.6;6 Influence of Abiotic and Biotic Factors;54<br />5.7;7 Conclusions;57<br />5.8;References and Selected Reading;57<br />6;3 Methanogenic Microbial Communities Associated with Aquatic Plants;63<br />6.1;1 Introduction;63<br />6.2;2 Role of Plants in Emission of CH4 to the Atmosphere;63<br />6.3;3 Role of Photosynthates and Plant Debris for CH4 Production;66<br />6.4;4 Methanogenic Microbial Communities on Plant Debris;68<br />6.5;5 Methanogenic Microbial Communities on Roots;70<br />6.6;6 Interaction of Methanogens and Methanotrophs;72<br />6.7;References and Selected Reading;73<br />7;4 Role of Functional Groups of Microorganisms on the Rhizosphere Microcosm Dynamics;79<br />7.1;1 Introduction;79<br />7.2;2 General Aspects of Functional Groups of Soil Microorganisms;80<br />7.3;3 Carbon Cycle Functional Groups;81<br />7.4;4 Functional Groups of Microrganisms of the Nitrogen Cycle;83<br />7.5;5 Functional Groups of Microrganisms of the Sulphur Cycle;85<br />7.6;6 Functional Groups of Microrganisms of the Phosphorus Cycle;87<br />7.7;7 Dynamics of the Rhizosphere Functional Groups of Microrganisms;88<br />7.8;8 Relationship Among r and k Strategist Functional Groups;89<br />7.9;9 Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi Dynamics in the Rhizosphere;89<br />7.10;10 Dynamics Among the Functional Microrganism Groups of the Carbon, Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Sulphur Cycles;93<br />7.11;References and Selected Reading;96<br />8;5 Diversity and Functions of Soil Microflora in Development of Plants;98<br />8.1;1 Introduction;98<br />8.2;2 Functional Diversity of Soil Microflora;99<br />8.3;3 Role of Soil Microflora in Plant Development;103<br />8.4;4 Plant Growth Promoting Substances Produced by Soil Microbes;115<br />8.5;5 Conclusions;117<br />8.6;References and Selected Reading;118<br />9;6 Signalling in the Rhizobia-Legumes Symbiosis;126<br />9.1;1 Introduction;126<br />9.2;2 The Signals from the Host Plants;128<br />9.3;3 Signals from the Microsymbionts;134<br />9.4;4 Signal Perception and Molecular Biology of Nodule Initiation;138<br />9.5;References and Selected Reading;141<br />10;7 The Functional Groups of Micro-organisms Used as Bio- indicator on Soil Disturbance Caused by Biotech Products such as Bacillus thuringiensis and Bt Transgenic Plants;147<br />10.1;1 Introduction;147<br />10.2;2 General Aspects of Bacillus thuringiensis;148<br />10.3;3 Survival in the Soil;149<br />10.4;4 History of Bacillus thuringiensis-Transgenic Plants;150<br />10.5;5 Persistence of the Protein Crystal in the Soil;151<br />10.6;6 Effect of Bacillus thuringiensis and Its Bio-insecticide Protein on Functional Soil Microorganism Assemblage;152<br />10.7;References and Selected Reading;156<br />11;8 The Use of ACC Deaminase-Containing Plant Growth- Promoting Bacteria to Protect Plants Against the Deleterious Effects of Ethylene;159<br />11.1;1 Introduction;159<br />11.2;2 Ethylene;160<br />11.3;3 ACC Deaminase;161<br />11.4;4 Conclusions;166<br />11.5;References and Selected Reading;167<br />12;9 Interactions Between Epiphyllic Microorganisms and Leaf Cuticles;171<br />12.1;1 Introduction;171<br />12.2;2 Physical and Chemical Parameters of the Phyllosphere;173<br />12.3;3 Leaf Surface Colonisation and Species Composition;175<br />12.4;4 Alteration of Leaf Surface Wetting;176<br />12.5;5 Interaction of Bacteria with Isolated Plant Cuticles;178<br />12.6;6 Conclusions;179<br />12.7;References and Selected Reading;180<br />13;10 Developmental Interactions Between Clavicipitaleans and Their Host Plants;183<br />13.1;1 Introduction;183<br />13.2;2 Endophyte/Epibiont Niche;183<br />13.3;3 Coevolution of Clavicipitalean Fungi with Grass Hosts;184<br />13.4;4 The Jump from Insects to Plants;184<br />13.5;5 Developmental Differentiation of Endophytic and Epiphyllous Mycelium;186<br />13.6;6 Modificati