Environmental and Agricultural
Microbiology
,Agricultural Microbiology
Course Outline:
Lecture 01: History of Microbiology: Spontaneous Generation Theory
Lecture 02: Germ Theory of Disease
Lecture 03: Protection against Infections
Lecture 04: Metabolism in Bacteria
Lecture 05: ATP Generation
Lecture 06: Microbial Metabolism - Autotrophs
Lecture 07: Bacteriophages: Structure and Properties of Bacterial Viruses
Lecture 08: Lytic and Lysogenic Cycles – Phage Multiplication Cycle
Lecture 09: Viroids, Prions
Lecture 10: Bacterial Genetics
Lecture 11: Gene Expression
Lecture 12: Recombination in Bacteria
Lecture 13: Genetic Engineering - Plasmids, Episomes
Lecture 14: Genetically Modified Organism
Lecture 15: Soil Microbiology: Microbial Group in Soil
Lecture 16: Microbial Transformations of Carbon
Lecture 17: Microbial Transformations of Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Sulphur
Lecture 18: Biological Nitrogen Fixation
Lecture 19: Phyllosphere Bacteria
Lecture 20: Composting
Lecture 21: Environmental Microbiology
Lecture 22: Microbiology of Food: Microbial Spoilage
Lecture 23: Principles of Preservation
Lecture 24: Role of Bacteria in Fermentation
Lecture 25: Beneficial Microorganisms in Agriculture
Lecture 26: Microbial Agents for Control of Plant Diseases
Lecture 27: Biogas Production
Lecture 28: Biodegradable Plastics
Lecture 29: Plant – Microbe Interactions
Lecture 30: Bioremediation
Lecture 31: Biosensor
Lecture 32: Microbial Products
3
, www.AgriMoon.Com
Lecture 01:
HISTORY OF MICROBIOLOGY: SPONTANEOUS GENERATION THEORY
Microbiology often has been defined as the study of organisms and agents too small to
be seen clearly by the unaided eye—that is, the study of microorganisms. Because
objects less than about one millimeter in diameter cannot be seen clearly and must be
examined with a microscope, microbiology is concerned primarily with organisms and
agents this small and smaller.
Microbial World
Microorganisms are everywhere. Almost every natural surface is colonized by microbes
(including our skin). Some microorganisms can live quite happily in boiling hot springs,
whereas others form complex microbial communities in frozen sea ice.
Most microorganisms are harmless to humans. You swallow millions of microbes every
day with no ill effects. In fact, we are dependent on microbes to help us digest our food
and to protect our bodies from pathogens. Microbes also keep the biosphere running by
carrying out essential functions such as decomposition of dead animals and plants.
Microbes are the dominant form of life on planet Earth. More than half the biomass on
Earth consists of microorganisms, whereas animals constitute only 15% of the mass of
living organisms on Earth.
This Microbiology course deals with
How and where they live
Their structure
How they derive food and energy
Functions of soil micro flora
Role in nutrient transformation
Relation with plant
Importance in Industries
The microorganisms can be divided into two distinct groups based on the nucleu s
structure:
Prokaryotes – The organism lacking true nucleus (membrane enclosed chromosome
and nucleolus) and other organelles like mitochondria, Golgi body, entoplasmic
reticulum etc. are referred as Prokaryotes. (Ex: Bacteria, archaea)
4
, Agricultural Microbiology
Eukaryotes - The organism possessing membrane enclosed nucleus and other cell
organelles are referred as Eukaryotes (Ex : algae, fungi, protozoa)
The microorganisms were divided into 6 distinct groups based on the phylogenic,
morphological and physiological characters.
The major groups of microorganisms are
1. Bacteria are phylogenetically related group of unicellular prokaryotic organisms
distinct from archeae
2. Archaea is phylogenetically related group of prokaryotes which are primitive
and distinct from bacteria
3. Fungi are group of eukaryotic organisms lacking chlorophyll. They range in size
and shape from single celled yeast to multicellular mushrooms.
4. Algae refer the group of eukaryotic organisms with chlorophyll. They range in
size and shape from single celled algae (Ex: Chlorella) to complex cellular
structured plant like algae (Ex. Kelp)
5. Protozoa are group of eukaryotic organism‘s lack of cell wall. The morphology,
nutrition and physiology is different from other groups
6. Viruses are group of non-cellular organisms, parasite or pathogen to plant,
animals and other microorganisms. They are too small and cab be visualized
only under electron microscopes
History of Microbiology in brief:
Obviously human have had to deal with microbes even before the recorded history.
The first record of human using comes from ancient tablets from mid east.
Babylonians were using yeast to make beer over 8000 years ago and acetic acid bacteria
to make vinegar over 6000 years ago.
About 5000 years ago, Persia (Now Iran) region recorded the wine making.
The Romans had God for that was specific for microorganisms. The roman God of
mold and mildew was ―Robigus‖ and ―Robigo” which means crop rust. (Rust is one of
the plant disease caused by fungus). God Robigus was very much feared because of
crop lost.
About 2000 years ago, Romans proposed that diseases were caused by tiny animals.
But, fundamentalist religions had a strong hold over the progress.
The real microbiology history starts from 1600s, when people began to make crude
lenses and microscopes.
5
Microbiology
,Agricultural Microbiology
Course Outline:
Lecture 01: History of Microbiology: Spontaneous Generation Theory
Lecture 02: Germ Theory of Disease
Lecture 03: Protection against Infections
Lecture 04: Metabolism in Bacteria
Lecture 05: ATP Generation
Lecture 06: Microbial Metabolism - Autotrophs
Lecture 07: Bacteriophages: Structure and Properties of Bacterial Viruses
Lecture 08: Lytic and Lysogenic Cycles – Phage Multiplication Cycle
Lecture 09: Viroids, Prions
Lecture 10: Bacterial Genetics
Lecture 11: Gene Expression
Lecture 12: Recombination in Bacteria
Lecture 13: Genetic Engineering - Plasmids, Episomes
Lecture 14: Genetically Modified Organism
Lecture 15: Soil Microbiology: Microbial Group in Soil
Lecture 16: Microbial Transformations of Carbon
Lecture 17: Microbial Transformations of Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Sulphur
Lecture 18: Biological Nitrogen Fixation
Lecture 19: Phyllosphere Bacteria
Lecture 20: Composting
Lecture 21: Environmental Microbiology
Lecture 22: Microbiology of Food: Microbial Spoilage
Lecture 23: Principles of Preservation
Lecture 24: Role of Bacteria in Fermentation
Lecture 25: Beneficial Microorganisms in Agriculture
Lecture 26: Microbial Agents for Control of Plant Diseases
Lecture 27: Biogas Production
Lecture 28: Biodegradable Plastics
Lecture 29: Plant – Microbe Interactions
Lecture 30: Bioremediation
Lecture 31: Biosensor
Lecture 32: Microbial Products
3
, www.AgriMoon.Com
Lecture 01:
HISTORY OF MICROBIOLOGY: SPONTANEOUS GENERATION THEORY
Microbiology often has been defined as the study of organisms and agents too small to
be seen clearly by the unaided eye—that is, the study of microorganisms. Because
objects less than about one millimeter in diameter cannot be seen clearly and must be
examined with a microscope, microbiology is concerned primarily with organisms and
agents this small and smaller.
Microbial World
Microorganisms are everywhere. Almost every natural surface is colonized by microbes
(including our skin). Some microorganisms can live quite happily in boiling hot springs,
whereas others form complex microbial communities in frozen sea ice.
Most microorganisms are harmless to humans. You swallow millions of microbes every
day with no ill effects. In fact, we are dependent on microbes to help us digest our food
and to protect our bodies from pathogens. Microbes also keep the biosphere running by
carrying out essential functions such as decomposition of dead animals and plants.
Microbes are the dominant form of life on planet Earth. More than half the biomass on
Earth consists of microorganisms, whereas animals constitute only 15% of the mass of
living organisms on Earth.
This Microbiology course deals with
How and where they live
Their structure
How they derive food and energy
Functions of soil micro flora
Role in nutrient transformation
Relation with plant
Importance in Industries
The microorganisms can be divided into two distinct groups based on the nucleu s
structure:
Prokaryotes – The organism lacking true nucleus (membrane enclosed chromosome
and nucleolus) and other organelles like mitochondria, Golgi body, entoplasmic
reticulum etc. are referred as Prokaryotes. (Ex: Bacteria, archaea)
4
, Agricultural Microbiology
Eukaryotes - The organism possessing membrane enclosed nucleus and other cell
organelles are referred as Eukaryotes (Ex : algae, fungi, protozoa)
The microorganisms were divided into 6 distinct groups based on the phylogenic,
morphological and physiological characters.
The major groups of microorganisms are
1. Bacteria are phylogenetically related group of unicellular prokaryotic organisms
distinct from archeae
2. Archaea is phylogenetically related group of prokaryotes which are primitive
and distinct from bacteria
3. Fungi are group of eukaryotic organisms lacking chlorophyll. They range in size
and shape from single celled yeast to multicellular mushrooms.
4. Algae refer the group of eukaryotic organisms with chlorophyll. They range in
size and shape from single celled algae (Ex: Chlorella) to complex cellular
structured plant like algae (Ex. Kelp)
5. Protozoa are group of eukaryotic organism‘s lack of cell wall. The morphology,
nutrition and physiology is different from other groups
6. Viruses are group of non-cellular organisms, parasite or pathogen to plant,
animals and other microorganisms. They are too small and cab be visualized
only under electron microscopes
History of Microbiology in brief:
Obviously human have had to deal with microbes even before the recorded history.
The first record of human using comes from ancient tablets from mid east.
Babylonians were using yeast to make beer over 8000 years ago and acetic acid bacteria
to make vinegar over 6000 years ago.
About 5000 years ago, Persia (Now Iran) region recorded the wine making.
The Romans had God for that was specific for microorganisms. The roman God of
mold and mildew was ―Robigus‖ and ―Robigo” which means crop rust. (Rust is one of
the plant disease caused by fungus). God Robigus was very much feared because of
crop lost.
About 2000 years ago, Romans proposed that diseases were caused by tiny animals.
But, fundamentalist religions had a strong hold over the progress.
The real microbiology history starts from 1600s, when people began to make crude
lenses and microscopes.
5
