What are the uses of microbes in agriculture and in keeping the environment clean and economic importance of bacteria in agriculture?
Microbes are an integral part of soil and contribute to soil and plant health. Microorganisms have the ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen, solubilize and mobilize phosphorus, produce antibiotics and disease suppressing molecules. Microorganisms help in cleaning up the environment. They decompose dead and decaying matter from plants and animals; convert them into simpler substances which are later used up by other plants and animals. Thus, they are used to breakdown harmful substances. Bacteria serve a double purpose. In the first instance they act as scavengers removing harmful waste from the earth. Secondly, they return it to the soil as plant food. The dead bodies and wastes of organisms are decomposed by the activities of the saprophytic bacteria. Bioremediation uses micro-organisms to reduce pollution through the biological degradation of pollutants into non-toxic substances. Beneficial microbes such as rhizobacteria and mycorrhizal fungi can help plants to 'deal' with pathogens and herbivorous insects as well as to tolerate abiotic stress.
In this video I discuss how chitin eating bacteria can be used as biocontrol against nematodes and bugs: https://youtu.be/K09UBTVmjCs
Bacteria decompose dead organic matter and releases simple compounds in the soil, which can be taken up by plants. Nitrogen-fixing bacteria fix atmospheric nitrogen and increase the nitrogen content of the soil, which can be readily absorbed by plants. Some microorganisms like Rhizobium form symbiotic associations with plants and form root nodules. These organisms fix atmospheric nitrogen and supply it to plants. Biological fertilizers obtained from microorganisms are very good for improving soil quality and fertility. Bacteria increase the soil's nitrogen content in the plant by doing this. Symbiotic nitrogen fixation is the name for this process. Cyanobacteria also aid nitrogen fixation. In symbiotic settings, Nostoc, Anabaena, and other plants have heterocysts containing nitrogenase enzymes that fix atmospheric nitrogen. Soil microbes (bacteria and fungi) are essential for decomposing organic matter and recycling old plant material. Some soil bacteria and fungi form relationships with plant roots that provide important nutrients like nitrogen or phosphorus. Bacteria are an economic source of production of many products for humans, since they reproduce quickly and are easy and inexpensive to grow. Bacteria are used to decompose human waste in sewage, cleaning our water for recycling. Microorganisms help in cleaning up the environment. They decompose dead and decaying matter from plants and animals; convert them into simpler substances which are later used up by other plants and animals. Thus, they are used to breakdown harmful substances. Currently, microbes are used to clean up pollution treatment in processes known as 'bioremediation'. Bioremediation uses micro-organisms to reduce pollution through the biological degradation of pollutants into non-toxic substances. Microorganisms play an important role in the nutrient cycle. Some bacteria secrete phytochemicals and organic acids that are helpful in the growth and development of plants. Microorganisms help maintain soil pH but balance nutrients and minerals. The most significant effect of the microbes on earth is their ability to recycle the primary elements that make up all living systems, especially carbon, oxygen, and nitrogen. Primary production involves photosynthetic organisms which take up CO2 from the atmosphere and convert it to organic material. The microorganisms help in increasing the fertility of the soil. Certain microbes like bacteria are very good decomposers. They decompose the dead organic matter. This when mixed with the soil makes it fertile.
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