Microbiome Stimulants for Crops Mechanisms and Applications

James F. White is professor of Plant Biology at Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, United States. He received his BS and MS degrees in Botany and Plant Pathology/Mycology from Auburn University, Alabama, and completed his PhD in Botany at the University of Texas at Austin in 1987. Dr. White is internationally recognized for his research on symbiosis, with a focus on endophytic microorganisms. He has authored numerous scientific articles and has written or edited several influential reference books on the biology, taxonomy, and phylogeny of microbial endophytes. He and his research group currently investigate the diversity of endophytic and biostimulant microbes and their functional impacts on host plants, contributing foundational knowledge to plant–microbe interaction biology and sustainable agricultural innovation.

Dr. Ajay Kumar is currently working as an assistant professor at Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University, Noida, India. Dr. Kumar recently completed his tenure as a visiting scientist from Agriculture Research Organization, Volcani Center, Israel. He has published more than 200 research, review articles, and book chapters in international and national journals. He serves as an associate editor for Frontiers in Microbiology, BMC Microbiology and as guest editor for various journals such as Plants, Microorganisms, and Sustainability. Dr. Kumar has also edited more than 40 books with the leading publishers such as Elsevier, Springer, and Wiley. Dr. Kumar’s research experience is in the field of plant–microbe interactions, postharvest management, cyanobacterial biology, and so on