Microbial Diversity: Current Perspectives and Potential Applications is woven around the recent global perceptions of microbial diversity in its all embracing facets. Diversity perspectives are discussed in the context of ecosystem dynamics, taking into consideration environments that are rather unique to microorganisms. Considerable thrust is placed on the role that microorganisms play in sustainable production systems. Microbe-plant interaction arena is highlighted through the discussion of mycorrhizal partners, on which depends not only the plant community structure but also abatement of abiotic and biotic stresses. Other mutualist, rhizobia gets its due coverage whereas plant disease component carries examples from both, fungal and viral disease point of view. Considerable emphasis is placed on a discussion of the environmental issues such as the approaches that will lead to newer bioremediation technologies. No discussion of microbial diversity is complete without their implications in animal and human health. Discussed in this context are L-arginases in cancer therapy as also bioactives from cyanobacteria. Genomics and pathogenicity of two groups of viruses, viz., blue tongue and flaviviruses is highlighted whereas keratinophilic fungal forms are discussed in the context of dermatophytic infections.
This volume also carries a fair number of articles on commercial microbiology.

Section 1: Microbial Diversity and Ecosystem Dynamics : Microbial diversity and molecular basis of cold adaptation in antarctic bacteria / Discovery of novel microorganisms and genes from extreme environment by the genomic technique / Environmental genomics : exploring and exploiting the ‘unculturable’ microbial diversity / Diversity and adaptations of deep-sea microorganisms / Phylogenetic and metabolic diversity of thermophilic prokaryotes with different types of anaerobic respiration / Halophilic thermophiles: a novel group of extremophiles / Molecular analysis of microbial community to enhance performance of anaerobic digestors / Diversity of Fungi in Mangrove Ecosystems / Sequence analysis of internal transcribed spacer region for phylogenetic assessment of ascomycetous yeasts / Diversity among cellulolytic fungi / Microbial Diversity and Community Dynamics of Mushroom Compost Ecosystem / Fungal endophytes of tropical plants: a critical review / Arbuscular mycorrhizae in natural ecosystem: Incentives in diversity and ecology / Section 2: Microbial Diversity and Agriculture & Forestry: The rhizosphere: a hot spot of bacterial diversity ? / Functional diversity and community structure of microorganisms in anoxic rice soils / Analyzing pseudomonas biodiversity : An easy challenge thanks to siderophore-typing / Algal diversity – from morphology to molecules / Agricultural intensification in tropics – its influence on AM fungi / Genetic diversity of plant growth promoting fluorescent Pseudomonads: PCR-RAPD, ARDRA and rDNA sequence analysis / Transgenic mineral phosphate solubilizing bacteria for improved agricultural productivity / An insight into ectomycorrhizal fungal diversity by using molecular approaches / Mycorrhizal diversity of Zambian ecosystems / Microbial diversity in sustainable agriculture / Biodiversity of cowpea rhizobia (Bradyrhizobium spp.) in Indian soils / Prevention of Plant Diseases by Targeting Fungal Polyamine Biosynthesis / Biocontrol of Macrophomina phaseolina: Prospects and Constraints / Diversity of viruses infecting some agriculturally important crop plants in India / Section 3: Microbial Diversity in the Environment: Microbial diversity: Potential applications in bioremediation / Relevance of microbial diversity to environmental biotechnology / Diversity of lin Genes in HCH degrading Sphingobium Species / Dyanamics of microbial community : An environmental perspective / Characterization of alkalophilic bacterial consortium for ex-situ bioremediation of colour and adsorbable organic halogens in pulp and paper mill effluent / Microbes in aquaculture / Prevalence and powers of aquatic fungi / Ecological diversitification in Cyanobacteria / Bioremediation of radioactive waste from nuclear power reactor effluents: Present status and future perspective / Rhizobia and its role in rhizoermediation / Section 4: Microbial Diversity and Industrial & Food Biotechnology: Role of glucoamylases in biotechnology / Heterogeniety of xylanases and related enzymes / Diversity of chitinases and their industrial potential / Potential applications of enzymes produced by the species of bacillus and geobacillus / Bacterial alkaline proteases: Recent trends and industrial applications / Diversity of fungal and yeast lipases: Present and future scenario for the 21st century / Diversity of lignin degrading microorganisms, ligninolytic enzymes and their biotechnological applications / Development of biochemical methods for production of aldehydes and organic acids using oxidases and oxidase-producing microorganisms / Microbial production of butanol : Product recovery by extraction / Evaluation of thermotolerance mechanism in thermotolerant yeast for ethanol production / Microbiology of traditional alkaline fermented foods / Phototrophic proteobacteria: Diversity and biotechnological potentials / Biomimetic applications of microbial diversity in nanotechnology: Viruses / The Arxula adeninivorans – based expression platform / Diversity and nutriceutical potential of wild edible mushrooms of Central India / Section 5: Microbial Diversity and Animal & Human Health: L-Arginase-A potential enzyme in cancer therapy / Algicidal metabolites from Cyanobacteria: structure, mode of action and regulation of production / Diversity and significance of keratinophilic fungi / Distribution and molecular typing of aeromonas hydrophila isolated from India / Serological and molecular diversity of Yersinia enterocolitica isolated from India / New technology forces microbes to reveal their secrets / Genomics in pathogenicity and diversity of Flaviviruses / Genomic diversity in orbiviruses with particular reference to Bluetongue, Epizootic haemorrhagic disease and African Horse Sickness viruses.

Postgraduate and Research Students in Microbiology, Biotechnology, Environmental Science, Environmental Biology.