Dr. Ying Ma is a Researcher at the Centre for Functional Ecology, University of Coimbra, Portugal. She received her Ph.D. in Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Portugal in 2010. Her research interest is to use Microbial Biotechnology in both sustainable agriculture and environmental decontamination under global climate-change scenarios, with a focus on the mechanisms underlying plant-microbe interactions, which comprises the combination of fundamental biological principles with applied technologies. She works in an interdisciplinary manner to effectively address complex problems and emerging threats that challenge agricultural production and bioremediation efficiency. Prof. Helena Freitas holds a PhD in Ecology from the University of Coimbra, in collaboration with the University of Bielefeld, Germany, and was a Post-Doc at the University of Stanford, USA. She is currently a Full Professor at Centre for Functional Ecology, University of Coimbra, Portugal and Chair Holder of the UNESCO Chair in Biodiversity Safeguard for Sustainable Development at the University of Coimbra. She is currently president of the Portuguese Ecological Society as well as Coordinator of the Centre for Functional Ecology, which is a research unit of interdisciplinary research involved in several national and international projects in Biological Sciences by focusing their areas of interest to study biodiversity, ecosystems, biotic interactions, environment and nature conservation.

• 1. Microbial seed coating and its role in sustainable agriculture 2. Microbial seed coating styles, coating agents and their functions 3. Microbial inoculant carriers and binders 4. Methods to improve the shelf life of microbial coated seeds 5. Procedures for applying PGPM to seed coating 6. Mechanisms underlying plant-microbe interactions involved in the seed coating process 7. Application of microbial seed coating in the agricultural ecosystem 8. Impact of drought stress on microbial seed coating application 9. Impact of salinity stress on microbial seed coating application 10. Impact of extreme temperature on microbial seed coating application 11. Impact of biotic stress on microbial seed coating application 12. Microbial seed coating with crops and medicine plants

Dr. Ying Ma is a Researcher at the Centre for Functional Ecology, University of Coimbra, Portugal. She received her Ph.D. in Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Portugal in 2010. Her research interest is to use Microbial Biotechnology in both sustainable agriculture and environmental decontamination under global climate-change scenarios, with a focus on the mechanisms underlying plant-microbe interactions, which comprises the combination of fundamental biological principles with applied technologies. She works in an interdisciplinary manner to effectively address complex problems and emerging threats that challenge agricultural production and bioremediation efficiency. Prof. Helena Freitas holds a PhD in Ecology from the University of Coimbra, in collaboration with the University of Bielefeld, Germany, and was a Post-Doc at the University of Stanford, USA. She is currently a Full Professor at Centre for Functional Ecology, University of Coimbra, Portugal and Chair Holder of the UNESCO Chair in Biodiversity Safeguard for Sustainable Development at the University of Coimbra. She is currently president of the Portuguese Ecological Society as well as Coordinator of the Centre for Functional Ecology, which is a research unit of interdisciplinary research involved in several national and international projects in Biological Sciences by focusing their areas of interest to study biodiversity, ecosystems, biotic interactions, environment and nature conservation.

• 1. Microbial seed coating and its role in sustainable agriculture 2. Microbial seed coating styles, coating agents and their functions 3. Microbial inoculant carriers and binders 4. Methods to improve the shelf life of microbial coated seeds 5. Procedures for applying PGPM to seed coating 6. Mechanisms underlying plant-microbe interactions involved in the seed coating process 7. Application of microbial seed coating in the agricultural ecosystem 8. Impact of drought stress on microbial seed coating application 9. Impact of salinity stress on microbial seed coating application 10. Impact of extreme temperature on microbial seed coating application 11. Impact of biotic stress on microbial seed coating application 12. Microbial seed coating with crops and medicine plants

Dr. Ying Ma is a Researcher at the Centre for Functional Ecology, University of Coimbra, Portugal. She received her Ph.D. in Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Portugal in 2010. Her research interest is to use Microbial Biotechnology in both sustainable agriculture and environmental decontamination under global climate-change scenarios, with a focus on the mechanisms underlying plant-microbe interactions, which comprises the combination of fundamental biological principles with applied technologies. She works in an interdisciplinary manner to effectively address complex problems and emerging threats that challenge agricultural production and bioremediation efficiency. Prof. Helena Freitas holds a PhD in Ecology from the University of Coimbra, in collaboration with the University of Bielefeld, Germany, and was a Post-Doc at the University of Stanford, USA. She is currently a Full Professor at Centre for Functional Ecology, University of Coimbra, Portugal and Chair Holder of the UNESCO Chair in Biodiversity Safeguard for Sustainable Development at the University of Coimbra. She is currently president of the Portuguese Ecological Society as well as Coordinator of the Centre for Functional Ecology, which is a research unit of interdisciplinary research involved in several national and international projects in Biological Sciences by focusing their areas of interest to study biodiversity, ecosystems, biotic interactions, environment and nature conservation.

• 1. Microbial seed coating and its role in sustainable agriculture 2. Microbial seed coating styles, coating agents and their functions 3. Microbial inoculant carriers and binders 4. Methods to improve the shelf life of microbial coated seeds 5. Procedures for applying PGPM to seed coating 6. Mechanisms underlying plant-microbe interactions involved in the seed coating process 7. Application of microbial seed coating in the agricultural ecosystem 8. Impact of drought stress on microbial seed coating application 9. Impact of salinity stress on microbial seed coating application 10. Impact of extreme temperature on microbial seed coating application 11. Impact of biotic stress on microbial seed coating application 12. Microbial seed coating with crops and medicine plants