Based on a British Mycological Society Symposium held in September 1988, this book provides a timely review of the increasingly diverse ways in which fungi are being used to improve plant growth and examines the reasons for the rapid advancement in their commercialization. Reflecting the increasing interest in biocontrol, a significant proportion of the book considers fungi as biocontrol agents, examining their specific use in the control of weeds, parasitic insects, nematodes, and plant pathogenic fungi, as well as covering more general commercial and environmental aspects. Relevant techniques in molecular biology are described and the use of mutualistic symbiotic mycorrhizal fungi for the improvement of plant growth are also included. This book will be useful to research workers, advanced students and teachers of mycology, plant pathology and crop protection.