Author addresses -- Preface 1: The Nature of Sustainable Agriculture; Andrew D. Noble and Sawaeng Ruaysoongnern -- 2: The microbiology of natural soils; Teri C. Balser, Devin Wixon, Lindsey K. Moritz and Laura Lipps -- 3: Soil microbiology and nutrient cycling; D.W. Hopkins and J.A.J. Dungait -- 4: The Role of Microbial Communities in the Formation and Decomposition of Soil Organic Matter; Leo Condron, Christine Stark, Maureen O’Callaghan, Peter Clinton and Zhiqun Huang -- 5: Intimate Associations of Beneficial Soil Microbes with Host Plants; Oksana Y. Shtark, Alexey Y. Borisov, Vladimir A. Zhukov, Nikolay A. Provorov and Igor A. Tikhonovich -- 6: Soilborne Pathogens and their Interactions with the Soil Environment; Geoffrey R Dixon and Emma L. Tilston -- 7: The impact of land - use practices on soil microbes; Emma L. Tilston, Tom P. Sizmur, Wilfred Otten and Jim A. Harris -- 8: The effects of plant breeding on soil microbes; Petra Marschner and Zed Rengel -- 9: Utilizing Soil Microbes for Biocontrol; Alison Stewart, Michael Brownbridge, Robert A. Hill and Trevor A. Jackson -- 10: How will climate change impact soil microbial communities? T.C. Balser, J.L.M. Gutknecht and C. Liang -- 11: Evaluating the economic and social impact of soil microbes; Harpinder S. Sandhu, Vadakattu V.S.R. Gupta and Stephen D. Wratten.

Soils into which crop plants root and from which they obtain essential minerals and water contain huge arrays of microbes. Many have highly beneficial effects on crop growth and productivity, others are pathogens causing diseases and losses to yield and quality, a few microbes offer protection from these pathogenic forms and others have little or no effect. These intimate and often complex inter-relationships are being explored with increasing success providing exciting opportunities for increasing crop yields and quality in sustainable harmony with the populations of beneficial soil microbes and to the detriment of pathogens. This book explores current knowledge for each of these aspects of soil microbiology and indicates where future progress is most likely to aid in increasing crop productivity by means which are environmentally benign and beneficial.Advanced first degree, post-graduate students, post-doctoral researchers, lecturers, research-leaders, consultants, advisors, crop practitioners and policy makers involved with crop agronomy, biological control, plant pathology, plant breeding, agriculture, soil science, environmental interactions and conservation, and others requiring up to date knowledge of the impact of soil microbiology on sustainable crop production will find this book invaluable.