Сельскохозяйственная биология, 2011, № 3, с. 3-9.

УДК 631.46:579.64:[576.8.095.38+581.557(575)

AGRICULTURAL MICROBIOLOGY AS THE BASIS OF ECOLOGICALLY SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE: FUNDAMENTAL AND APPLIED ASPECTS

I.A. Tikhonovich, N.A. Provorov

Agricultural microbiology is based on the research of microbial communities living in the plants, animals and soils. Since the plants and animals create on their surfaces, in tissues and cells the variable niches for hosting the microbial partners, the genes controlling development of these niches are considered as the major determinants for the activities of agriculturally valuable microbes. Knowledge on their genetics, physiology, molecular biology and ecology enables us to construct the sustainable agricultural systems wherein: 1) productivity of plants and animals in increased by changing the composition and properties of the microbial symbionts; 2) ecologically dangerous agrochemicals (mineral fertilizers, pesticides) are completely or partially substituted by microbial preparations; 3) the energy consumption is decreased while the quality of agricultural products is improved.

Keywords: agricultural microbiology, microbe-plant interactions, N2-fixing symbioses, arbuscular mycorrhiza, endophytic microorganisms, rhizospheric growth-stimulating bacteria, biocontrol of pests and pathogens, microbiota of rumen, metagenomes of soil, ecologically sustainable soil tillage.