Sushil K. Sharma is Principal Scientist (Agricultural Microbiology) and In-charge/Focal Point of National Agriculturally Important Microbial Culture Collection (NAIMCC) at ICAR-National Bureau of Agriculturally Important Microorganisms, MaunathBhanjan, Uttar Pradesh, India which is a designated repository (DR) recognized by National Biodiversity Authority, MoEF&CC, Govt of India. Dr Sharma is an individual member of World Federation for Culture Collections (WFCC). He is involved in coordination work of network project “Application of Microorganisms in Agriculture and Allied Sectors (AMAAS)” operating at different centers in India.His research interests include soil biology, microbiological basis of soil quality assessments,soil solarization and plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria. He is currently working on exploration, collection, characterization and conservation of microbial wealth of India. He is resource person for international, regional and national training/conference/workshops and delivered talk mainly on biofertilization and biofortification of soybean and wheat with Zn and Fe through microbial approaches, P- and Zn-solubilizing bacteria, and status and activities of microbial culture collections, and ex-situ conservation of microorganisms in NAIMCC. He is faculty member of Amity University, Noida for supervising Ph.D students. He is conducting training programs and group meeting for researchers, technical staff and farmers from all over the country on various aspects of microbiology. He has published more than 50 research articles, review articles, book chapters, and technical bulletins in his credit.Prof Dr Ajit Varma: Ajit Varma has completed his PhD at the age of 25 years from Allahabad University and Former Professor, School of Life Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, India. Presently, he is the Distinguished Scientist & Professor of Eminence of AmityInstitute of Microbial Technology; Pro-Vice Chancellor, Ritnand Balved Education Foundation, and Vice Chairman, Amity Science, Technology & Innovation Foundation Amity University Uttar Pradesh, India. He has published more than 314 papers. Ajit Varma is the Fellow of Alexander-von-Humboldt Society, Germany, elected Fellow of National Academy Agricultural Sciences and Fellow of Microbiology Society of India.

• 1. Microbial Genetic Resources: Status, Conservation, Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) Regulations.- 2. Concept of Microbial Preservation: Past, Present and Future.- 3. Establishment and Management of Culture Collections of Microorganisms (mBRC): An Overview.- 4. Specialized Microbial Resource Centres: A Driving Force of the Growing Bioeconomy.- 5. Agricultural Microbial Genetic Resources: Application and Preservation at Microbial Resource Centres (mBRCs).- 6. Rhizobia: Culture Collections, Identification and Methods of Preservation.- 7. Biobank for Conservation of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal (AM) Fungi.- 8. Conservation of Fungi: A Review on Conventional Approaches.- 9. Veterinary Type Cultures and their Preservation: Status and Challenges.- 10. Biodiversity Conservation of Phages and Microbial Populations.- 11. Modern Immunochemical Approaches in Microbiology.- 12. Conservation and Application of Microalgae for Biofuel Production.- 13. Desert Truffles in Saudi Arabia: Diversity, Ecology, and Conservation.- 14. Maintenance, Conservation and Regulation of Microbial Resources for Defense Applications.- 15. Diversity, Ecology and Conservation of Fungal and Bacterial Endophytes.- 16. Archaea: Ecology, Application and Conservation.

Sushil K. Sharma is Principal Scientist (Agricultural Microbiology) and In-charge/Focal Point of National Agriculturally Important Microbial Culture Collection (NAIMCC) at ICAR-National Bureau of Agriculturally Important Microorganisms, MaunathBhanjan, Uttar Pradesh, India which is a designated repository (DR) recognized by National Biodiversity Authority, MoEF&CC, Govt of India. Dr Sharma is an individual member of World Federation for Culture Collections (WFCC). He is involved in coordination work of network project “Application of Microorganisms in Agriculture and Allied Sectors (AMAAS)” operating at different centers in India.His research interests include soil biology, microbiological basis of soil quality assessments,soil solarization and plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria. He is currently working on exploration, collection, characterization and conservation of microbial wealth of India. He is resource person for international, regional and national training/conference/workshops and delivered talk mainly on biofertilization and biofortification of soybean and wheat with Zn and Fe through microbial approaches, P- and Zn-solubilizing bacteria, and status and activities of microbial culture collections, and ex-situ conservation of microorganisms in NAIMCC. He is faculty member of Amity University, Noida for supervising Ph.D students. He is conducting training programs and group meeting for researchers, technical staff and farmers from all over the country on various aspects of microbiology. He has published more than 50 research articles, review articles, book chapters, and technical bulletins in his credit.Prof Dr Ajit Varma: Ajit Varma has completed his PhD at the age of 25 years from Allahabad University and Former Professor, School of Life Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, India. Presently, he is the Distinguished Scientist & Professor of Eminence of AmityInstitute of Microbial Technology; Pro-Vice Chancellor, Ritnand Balved Education Foundation, and Vice Chairman, Amity Science, Technology & Innovation Foundation Amity University Uttar Pradesh, India. He has published more than 314 papers. Ajit Varma is the Fellow of Alexander-von-Humboldt Society, Germany, elected Fellow of National Academy Agricultural Sciences and Fellow of Microbiology Society of India.

• 1. Microbial Genetic Resources: Status, Conservation, Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) Regulations.- 2. Concept of Microbial Preservation: Past, Present and Future.- 3. Establishment and Management of Culture Collections of Microorganisms (mBRC): An Overview.- 4. Specialized Microbial Resource Centres: A Driving Force of the Growing Bioeconomy.- 5. Agricultural Microbial Genetic Resources: Application and Preservation at Microbial Resource Centres (mBRCs).- 6. Rhizobia: Culture Collections, Identification and Methods of Preservation.- 7. Biobank for Conservation of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal (AM) Fungi.- 8. Conservation of Fungi: A Review on Conventional Approaches.- 9. Veterinary Type Cultures and their Preservation: Status and Challenges.- 10. Biodiversity Conservation of Phages and Microbial Populations.- 11. Modern Immunochemical Approaches in Microbiology.- 12. Conservation and Application of Microalgae for Biofuel Production.- 13. Desert Truffles in Saudi Arabia: Diversity, Ecology, and Conservation.- 14. Maintenance, Conservation and Regulation of Microbial Resources for Defense Applications.- 15. Diversity, Ecology and Conservation of Fungal and Bacterial Endophytes.- 16. Archaea: Ecology, Application and Conservation.

Sushil K. Sharma is Principal Scientist (Agricultural Microbiology) and In-charge/Focal Point of National Agriculturally Important Microbial Culture Collection (NAIMCC) at ICAR-National Bureau of Agriculturally Important Microorganisms, MaunathBhanjan, Uttar Pradesh, India which is a designated repository (DR) recognized by National Biodiversity Authority, MoEF&CC, Govt of India. Dr Sharma is an individual member of World Federation for Culture Collections (WFCC). He is involved in coordination work of network project “Application of Microorganisms in Agriculture and Allied Sectors (AMAAS)” operating at different centers in India.His research interests include soil biology, microbiological basis of soil quality assessments,soil solarization and plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria. He is currently working on exploration, collection, characterization and conservation of microbial wealth of India. He is resource person for international, regional and national training/conference/workshops and delivered talk mainly on biofertilization and biofortification of soybean and wheat with Zn and Fe through microbial approaches, P- and Zn-solubilizing bacteria, and status and activities of microbial culture collections, and ex-situ conservation of microorganisms in NAIMCC. He is faculty member of Amity University, Noida for supervising Ph.D students. He is conducting training programs and group meeting for researchers, technical staff and farmers from all over the country on various aspects of microbiology. He has published more than 50 research articles, review articles, book chapters, and technical bulletins in his credit.Prof Dr Ajit Varma: Ajit Varma has completed his PhD at the age of 25 years from Allahabad University and Former Professor, School of Life Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, India. Presently, he is the Distinguished Scientist & Professor of Eminence of AmityInstitute of Microbial Technology; Pro-Vice Chancellor, Ritnand Balved Education Foundation, and Vice Chairman, Amity Science, Technology & Innovation Foundation Amity University Uttar Pradesh, India. He has published more than 314 papers. Ajit Varma is the Fellow of Alexander-von-Humboldt Society, Germany, elected Fellow of National Academy Agricultural Sciences and Fellow of Microbiology Society of India.

• 1. Microbial Genetic Resources: Status, Conservation, Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) Regulations.- 2. Concept of Microbial Preservation: Past, Present and Future.- 3. Establishment and Management of Culture Collections of Microorganisms (mBRC): An Overview.- 4. Specialized Microbial Resource Centres: A Driving Force of the Growing Bioeconomy.- 5. Agricultural Microbial Genetic Resources: Application and Preservation at Microbial Resource Centres (mBRCs).- 6. Rhizobia: Culture Collections, Identification and Methods of Preservation.- 7. Biobank for Conservation of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal (AM) Fungi.- 8. Conservation of Fungi: A Review on Conventional Approaches.- 9. Veterinary Type Cultures and their Preservation: Status and Challenges.- 10. Biodiversity Conservation of Phages and Microbial Populations.- 11. Modern Immunochemical Approaches in Microbiology.- 12. Conservation and Application of Microalgae for Biofuel Production.- 13. Desert Truffles in Saudi Arabia: Diversity, Ecology, and Conservation.- 14. Maintenance, Conservation and Regulation of Microbial Resources for Defense Applications.- 15. Diversity, Ecology and Conservation of Fungal and Bacterial Endophytes.- 16. Archaea: Ecology, Application and Conservation.