Unit I Introduction to Soil Microbiology
Soil Microbiology- definition and scope. Historical developments in soil microbiology. Diversity of soil microorganisms - culturable (bacteria, actinobacteria, yeasts, moulds and algae) and unculturable microorganisms - metagenomic approach - factors influencing the microbial diversity
Unit II Microbial Processes in soil
Organic matter decomposition and humus formation- C:N ratio.. Carbon cycle. Nitrogen cycle - biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) – nodulation and biochemistry of BNF. Phosphorus cycle and sulphur cycle. Microbial transformation of potassium, zinc and silica in soil – role of soil enzymes
Unit III Soil Microorganisms and plants
Rhizosphere, spermosphere, phyllosphere, epiphytic and endophytic microorganisms and their significance and Plant growth promoting rhizobacteria. Soil microorganisms and their interactions – positive and negative interactions
Unit IV Microbial inoculants
Bioinoculants – types of bioinoculants – nitrogen fixers, P, K, Zn and Si solubilizers and phosphate mobilizers, sulphur oxidizers and PPFM. BGA and Azolla. Mass production and quality control of bacterial and fungal bioinoculants. Methods of application of bioinoculants.
Unit V Industrial Microbiology
Industrial utilization of microorganisms - Alcohol fermentation – wine and beer. Antibiotics and vitamin production. Microbes in food industry – single cell protein, baker’s and brewer’s yeast and dairy products – cheese and yoghurt. Biofuels- ethanol and biodiesel.
Enumeration of soil microbial population - quantitative and qualitative methods. Organic matter decomposition. Isolation of symbiotic nitrogen fixing bacteria, free living, associative and endophytic nitrogen fixing bacteria. Isolation of phosphobacteria and sulfur oxidizing bacteria. Isolation of zinc and silicate solubilizing and potassium releasing bacteria. Isolation of plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (Pseudomonas sp) and phyllosphere (PPFM) microbes. Examination of AM fungal infection in plants and recovery of AM spores from soil. Isolation of Blue Green algae. Mass production of bacterial bioinoculants, blue green algae, Azolla and AM fungi. Isolation of yeast and Lactobacillus. Industrial products – wine and sauerkraut fermentation.