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)
A single cell protein is a protein obtained from certain microbes,
which forms an alternate source of proteins in animal feeds. The
microbes involved in the preparation of single cell proteins are
algae, yeast, or bacteria. These microbes are grown on an industrial
scale to obtain the desired protein. For example, Spirulina
can be grown on waste materials obtained from molasses, sewage, and
animal manures. It serves as a rich supplement of dietary nutrients
such as proteins, carbohydrate, fats, minerals, and vitamins.
Similarly, micro-organisms such as Methylophilus and
methylotrophus have a large rate of biomass production. Their
growth can produce a large amount of proteins.
(b) Soil
Microbes play an important role in maintaining soil fertility. They
help in the formation of nutrient-rich humus by the process of
decomposition. Many species of bacteria and cyanobacteria have the
ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen into usable form. Rhizobium
is a symbiotic bacteria found in the root nodules of leguminous
plants. Azospirillium and Azotobocter are free living
nitrogen-fixing bacteria, whereas Anabena, Nostoc, and
Oscillitoria are examples of nitrogen-fixing cyanobacteria.
(a) Single cell protein (SCP)
A single cell protein is a protein obtained from certain microbes, which forms an alternate source of proteins in animal feeds. The microbes involved in the preparation of single cell proteins are algae, yeast, or bacteria. These microbes are grown on an industrial scale to obtain the desired protein. For example, Spirulina can be grown on waste materials obtained from molasses, sewage, and animal manures. It serves as a rich supplement of dietary nutrients such as proteins, carbohydrate, fats, minerals, and vitamins. Similarly, micro-organisms such as Methylophilus and methylotrophus have a large rate of biomass production. Their growth can produce a large amount of proteins.
(b) Soil
Microbes play an important role in maintaining soil fertility. They help in the formation of nutrient-rich humus by the process of decomposition. Many species of bacteria and cyanobacteria have the ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen into usable form. Rhizobium is a symbiotic bacteria found in the root nodules of leguminous plants. Azospirillium and Azotobocter are free living nitrogen-fixing bacteria, whereas Anabena, Nostoc, and Oscillitoria are examples of nitrogen-fixing cyanobacteria.
