Find out the role of microbes in the following and discuss it with your teacher.
(a) Single Cell Protein (SCP)
(b) Soil
Find out the role of microbes in the following and discuss it with your teacher.
(a) Single Cell Protein (SCP)
(b) Soil
(a) Single Cell Protein (SCP) refers to harmless microbial cells that can be used as an alternate source of good protein.
Just like mushrooms (a fungus) is eaten by many people and yeast is used by athletes as a protein source; similarly, other forms of microbial cells can also be used as food rich in protein, minerals, fats carbohydrate and vitamins.
Microbes like Spirulina and Methylophilus methylotrophus are being grown on an industrial scale on materials containing starch like waste water from potato processing plants, straw, molasses, animal manure and even sewage. These single-cell microbes can be used as the source of proteins.
(b) Role of microbes in the soil.
Microbes can be used as bio fertilisers, organisms that enrich the nutrient quality of the soil.
The main sources of bio-fertilisers are bacteria, fungi and cyanobacteria. They help in increasing the fertility of the soil in many ways
(i) Rhizobium that forms nodules on the roots of leguminous plants (a symbiotic association) fixes atmospheric nitrogen into organic forms, which is used by the plant as the nutrient.
(ii) Azospirillum and Azotobacter fix atmospheric nitrogen, while living freely, and enriching the nitrogen content of the soil.
(iii) Many members of the genus Glomus (fungi) form symbiotic associations with the plant known as mycorrhiza that
(a) absorb phosphorus from soil and pass it to the plant
(b) help the plants to develop resistance to root pathogens
(c) increase their tolerance to salinity and drought and thus, help in an overall increase in plant growth and development.
(iv) Cyanobacteria autotrophic microbes, e.g., Anabaena, Nostoc, Oscillatoria can fix atmospheric nitrogen, in the aquatic and terrestrial environment and also add organic matter to the soil and increase its fertility.
(a) Single Cell Protein (SCP) refers to harmless microbial cells that can be used as an alternate source of good protein.
Just like mushrooms (a fungus) is eaten by many people and yeast is used by athletes as a protein source; similarly, other forms of microbial cells can also be used as food rich in protein, minerals, fats carbohydrate and vitamins.
Microbes like Spirulina and Methylophilus methylotrophus are being grown on an industrial scale on materials containing starch like waste water from potato processing plants, straw, molasses, animal manure and even sewage. These single-cell microbes can be used as the source of proteins.
(b) Role of microbes in the soil.
Microbes can be used as bio fertilisers, organisms that enrich the nutrient quality of the soil.
The main sources of bio-fertilisers are bacteria, fungi and cyanobacteria. They help in increasing the fertility of the soil in many ways
(i) Rhizobium that forms nodules on the roots of leguminous plants (a symbiotic association) fixes atmospheric nitrogen into organic forms, which is used by the plant as the nutrient.
(ii) Azospirillum and Azotobacter fix atmospheric nitrogen, while living freely, and enriching the nitrogen content of the soil.
(iii) Many members of the genus Glomus (fungi) form symbiotic associations with the plant known as mycorrhiza that
(a) absorb phosphorus from soil and pass it to the plant
(b) help the plants to develop resistance to root pathogens
(c) increase their tolerance to salinity and drought and thus, help in an overall increase in plant growth and development.
(iv) Cyanobacteria autotrophic microbes, e.g., Anabaena, Nostoc, Oscillatoria can fix atmospheric nitrogen, in the aquatic and terrestrial environment and also add organic matter to the soil and increase its fertility.
