Bøger af Prasann Kumar

Bioremediation of Emerging Contaminants from Soils: Soil Health Conservation for Improved Ecology and Food Security deals with current challenges of sustainable soil health using eco-friendly approaches. This book provides ways of reducing the chemical burden on the soil by maintaining balance in terms of society, environment, and economy, which are considered basic pillars of sustainability. Designed to highlight soil health best practices for both environmental and agricultural sustainability, these approaches are also considered important for improving global food security by ensuring safe growing conditions for crops for food and feed. Presented in two parts, this book first highlights emerging contaminants and their sources. The second part explores a variety of steps and tools for addressing contaminated soils, including bio- and phytoremediation options. Case studies in each part provide real-world insights for practical application.

Anthropogenic perturbations of biosphere manifested in a broad array of global phenomena, including accelerated rate of industrialization, intensive agriculture, and extensive mining accompanied by burgeoning population and rapid urbanization have not only wreaked the havoc on the availability of natural resources but also caused widespread and grave contamination of the essential components of life on the planet. Of the implications of human-induced disturbance of natural biogeochemical cycles, accentuated accumulation of heavy metals (HMs) is a problem of paramount importance for ecological, nutritional, and environmental reasons. HMs belong to a group of nonbiodegradable, persistent inorganic chemical constituents with the atomic mass over 20 and the density higher than 5¿3 g/cm that have cytotoxic, genotoxic, and mutagenic effects on humans or animals and plants through influencing and tainting food chains, soil, irrigation or potable water, aquifers, and surrounding atmosphere.

Deprivation of accepted resources is perhaps one of the lethal lapses mankind has ever prepared in its voyage of progress and civilization. Most of the natural resources are contaminated with pollutants like heavy metals which pose serious threats to water and soil. This book comprises of five chapters which include the mechanism for deriving metal extraction from soil by assistance of microorganisms with special reference to mycorrhiza. It also focuses on immobilization of heavy metals, especially cadmium in soil solution, mediated through mycorrhiza. Biofertilizers and nutrient significance are well described along with interesting facts and findings related to mycorrhiza.

The facts reveal that on one hand, the world population is increasing continuously, whereas on the other hand, food grain production is not increasing proportionately due to various factors such as decline in soil fertility and repercussions arising from climate change phenomenon as manifested by unpredictable patterns of rainfall and temperature. The major reason for poor soil health in India seems to be the unbalanced nutrient application. Among, various strategies to cope with above situation, soil test based integrated nutrient management holds the key to reverse above trend leading to restoration of soil fertility and in turn, boosting crop production and productivity.