Ajar Nath Yadav is an Assistant Professor (Senior Scale) in Department of Biotechnology, Dr. Khem Singh Gill Akal College of Agriculture, Eternal University, Baru Sahib, Himachal Pradesh, India. He has 5 years of teaching and 11 years of research experiences in the field of Microbial Biotechnology, Microbial Diversity, and Plant-Microbe-Interactions. Dr. Yadav obtained doctorate in Microbial Biotechnology, jointly from ICAR-Indian Agricultural research Institute (IARI), New Delhi and Birla Institute of Technology, Mesra, Ranchi, India; M.Sc. (Biotechnology) from Bundelkhand University and B.Sc. (CBZ) from the University of Allahabad, India. Dr. Yadav has 297 publications, with h-index of 42, i10-index of 96, and 4238 citations (Google Scholar).

Dr. Yadav is editor of 11 Springer-Nature, 05 CRC Press Taylor & Francis and 02 Elsevier books. Dr. Yadav has got 12 Best Paper Presentation Awards, and 01 Young Scientist Award (NASI-Swarna Jayanti Purskar). Dr. Yadav received "Outstanding Teacher Award" in 6^th Annual Convocation 2018 by Eternal University, Baru Sahib, Himachal Pradesh. Dr. Yadav has a long-standing interest in teaching at the UG, PG and PhD level and is involved in taking courses in microbiology, and microbial biotechnology. Dr. Yadav is currently handling two projects one funded by Department of Environments, Science & Technology (DEST), Shimla and one by HP Council for Science, Technology & Environment (HIMCOSTE). Dr. Yadav has guided 01 Ph.D. and 01 M.Sc. Scholar and presently he is guiding 05 scholars for PhD degree. In his credit ~6700 microbes (Archaea, bacteria and fungi) isolated from diverse sources and ~550 potential and efficient microbes deposited at culture collection ICAR-National Bureau of Agriculturally Important Microorganisms (NBAIM), Mau, Uttar Pradesh, India. He has deposited 2423 nucleotide sequences and 03 whole genome sequences (Bacillus thuringiensis AKS47, Arthrobacter agilis L77 and Halolamina pelagica CDK2) and 02 transcriptome to NCBI GenBank databases: in public domain. The niche-specific microbes from extreme environments were reported as specific bio-inoculants (Biofertilizers) for crops growing in normal and diverse abiotic stress conditions. Dr. Yadav and group have developed technology for screening of archaea for phosphorus solubilization for the first time. He has been serving as an editor/editorial board member and reviewer for different national and international peer-reviewed journals. He has lifetime membership of Association of Microbiologist in India, and Indian Science Congress Council, India. 

Preface

Chapter 1: Mycological Research for Agriculture and Medical Importance: An Introduction

Dr. Ajar Nath Yadav Department of Biotechnology, Eternal University Baru Sahib, Srmour-173101, Himachal Pradesh, India

Chapter 2: Beneficial Fungal Communities from Agricultural Soil for Plant Growth Promotion and Soil Health

Dr. Li-Xing Zhao, Key Laboratory of Microbial Diversity in Southwest China of Ministry of Education and Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources, Yunnan Institute of Microbiology Yunnan University Kunming People's Republic of China.

Chapter 3: Plant Growth Promoting Fungi: Mechanisms and Applications for Crop Productivity

Dr. Rashmi Malik, G. B. Pant Univeristy of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar, Uttarakhand

Chapter 4: Alleviation of Diverse Abiotic Stress in Plant through the Fungal Communities

Dr. Chhatarpal Singh, Department of Environmental Microbiology, Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University (A Central University), Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh 226025, India

Chapter 5: Phosphate Solubilizing Fungi: Current Perspective and Future Need for Agricultural Sustainability

Dr. Suman Kumar Halder, Department of Microbiology, Vidyasagar University, Midnapore-721102, West Bengal

Chapter 6: Fe-Chelating Compounds Producing Fungal Communities and their Applications

Dr. Ahmed M. Abdel-Azeem, Ph D, Mycosystematist Botany Department, Faculty of Science, University of Suez Canal, Ismailia, 41522, Egypt,

Chapter 7: Fungal Diversity and Ecology: Major Challenges for Crop Production in Present Climate Scenarios

Dr. Zachow C, Graz University of Technology, Institute of Environmental Biotechnology, Petersgasse 12, A-8010 Graz, Austria

Chapter 8: Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi: Interactions with Plants and their Role in Agricultural Sustainability

Dr. Ahmed M. Abdel-Azeem, Ph D, Mycosystematist, Botany Department, Faculty of Science, University of Suez Canal, Ismailia, 41522, Egypt

Chapter 9: Portraying Fungal Mechanisms in Stress Tolerance: Perspective for Sustainable Agriculture

Dr. Ashok Kumar, Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding (Plant Biotechnology), Rajiv Gandhi South Campus, Banaras Hindu University, Mirzapur-231001, India

Chapter 10: Fungal Communities as Biological Control Agents for Different Phytopathogenic Organisms

Dr. S. Kiewnick, University of Bonn, Institute for Plant Diseases, Phytopathology and Nematology in Soil Ecosystems, Nussallee 9, D-53115 Bonn, Germany.

Chapter 11: Fungal Nanoparticles for Sustainable Agriculture

Dr. Ahmed A. Hamed, Microbial Chemistry Department, National Research Centre, Giza, Egypt

Chapter 12: Medically Important Fungi: Biodiversity, Abundances, and Applications

Dr. Laura H. Hogan, Departments of Pediatrics, University of Wisconsin Medical School and University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics, Madison, Wisconsin 53792

Chapter 13: Isolation and Molecular Characterization of Medically Important Fungi: Current Research and Future Prospects

Dr. Gerhard Haase, CBS-KNAW Fungal Biodiversity Centre, Utrecht, Netherlands (GSdH)

Chapter 14: Human Fungal Pathogens: Diversity, Genomics, and Preventions

Dr. Hesham Ali Metwally Ali El-Enshasy, Institute of Bioproduct Development (IBD), Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM)81310 UTM, Johor Bahru, Malaysia

Chapter 15: Formation, Resistance and Pathogenicity of Fungal Biofilms: Current Trends and Future Challenges

Dr. Garcia Ines Eugenia, Microbiología Agrícola y Ambiental, Departamento de Biología Aplicada y Alimentos, Facultad de Agronomía, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Avda. San Martin 4453, Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Argentina,

Chapter 16: Mycological Interactions: Beneficial Impact on Pathogenesis and Human Disease

Dr. Brian M. Peters, Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, University of Maryland-Baltimore, Dental School, Baltimore, Maryland, USA

Chapter 17: Medical Applications of Fungal Nanotechnology: Current Research and Future Scope

Dr. Hesham A. El Enshasy, Institute of Bioproduct Development Universiti Teknologi Malaysia Johor Bahru Malaysia

Chapter 18: Agriculturally and Medically Important Fungi: Conclusion and Future Vision

Dr. Ajar Nath Yadav Department of Biotechnology, Eternal University Baru Sahib, Srmour-173101, Himachal Pradesh, India

Bibliography

Index