Microbiology has become increasingly useful to common people. It has strongly emerged as one of the most important branches in biological sciences. In today's scientific scenario, microbiology is the basic and fundamental foundation for strong emergence of modern applied microbiology as well as biotechnology.
A Text Book of Applied Microbiology, Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 is primarily focused on applied aspects of microbiology for the benefit of P.G. students and research scholars. Volume 1 covers largely on brewing process of beer, production of wines, vinegar, lactic acids, amino acids, production of cheese, penicillin, streptomycin, sulphate, antibiotics, production and use of protein rich Spirulina, bio active compounds from algae, edible mushrooms, production of biogas, bacterial and fungal cellulases, clarification of grape juice, food contamination and toxins etc.
Volume 2 covers major ways on biological fertilizers for crop production. Soil is a living system in the presence of millions of microorganisms and play a substantial role in decomposition of crop residues and organic matter in soil and also involved in the transformation of nutrients as well as uptake of nutrients due to their presence in the rhizosphere region and their colonization in the rhizoplane is critical for transfer of nutrients in many crops. The nitrogen inputs through Biological Nitrogen Fixation (BNF) is a key process in nature which supports sustainable and environmentally sound agricultural production. Soil fertility and soil tilth could be improved significantly by practices such as green manuring with nitrogen fixing legumes and companion crops and subsequent non-legume crops are also benefited by BNF.
The important biological fertilizers such as Rhizobium, Azorhizobium, association in legumes, Azotobacter and Azospirillum biological fertilizers in non legumes and more particularly in cereals and other crops as free-living nitrogen fixers and free-living cyanobacteria and Azolla - Anabaena symbiosis were covered in a detailed way. Mass production of biological fertilizers inoculant and critical quality control parameters have been discussed in detail. The volume also deals in Integrated Pest Management (IPM), a detailed account on the biocontrol agent, Bacillus thuringiencies, biopesticides and the potential role of bacterial and actinomycetes in biological control of pest (s) and disease (s). |
