Use of Microbes in Industry and Agriculture

Use of Microbes in Industry and Agriculture - The use of micro organisms for large scale industrial processes is not new, although it has assumed renewed emphasis in recent years. Centuries ago, people in Asia and Africa learned to make wine, beer, vinegar and saki with bacteria and yeast, without knowing the scientific basis of such productions.

The technology related to microbial production of metabolites such as ethanol, lactic acid, butanol, riboflavin, etc. and enzymes such as protease, amylase and Invertase was also developed as early as first few decades of the 20th century. Large scale production of the antibiotic penicillin, was perfected during World War II and the production of many other antibiotics, amino acids, nucleotides, enzymes, etc. had been successfully accomplished in the 1950's and later.

Following this history, in recent years, micro organisms have found their application not only in the production of a variety of metabolites but also in the bio transformation of several chemicals.

The genetically engineered micro organisms are also being used for the commercial production of some non microbial products such as insulin, interferon, human growth hormone and viral vaccines.. Microbes are also being used to meet effectively the crisis in both environment and energy sectors. They can reduce environmental pollution through a variety of processes and other means including the following:

(i) recovery of metals from polluted waterways,

(ii) elimination of sulphur from metal ores and coal fired power and

(iii) use of biofertilizers and biopesticides

These aspects will be discussed in some detail in Chapter 27. In the energy sector, they can be used for production of single cell proteins (SCP) to meet food and fodder problems, and for biogas production to provide energy to electrify villages.

Through the use of biofertilizers and bioinsecticide, they can also add to crop productivity. Similarly, they can provide cheap and cost effective methods of mining and metallurgy. Thus microbial biotechnology will have a great impact on industry in the 21st Century. Some of these aspects of microbiological applications including the techniques of isolation and mass scale culture of micro organisms, are described in this chapter.