Microbial Biotechnology in Agriculture and Aquaculture — An Overview

• Published in: Microbial Biotechnology in Agriculture and Aquaculture, Vol. 1 pp. 11 - 40
• Main Author: Ray, R. C
• Format: Book Chapter
• Language: English
• Published: United Kingdom CRC Press 2005; Taylor & Francis Group
• Subjects: Soil Microbial Biomass Nitrogen; Lignin Peroxidase; Freshwater Aquaculture; Plant Growthpromoting Rhizobacteria; Biotic Associations; Mineral Phosphate Solubilization; Soil Enzymes; Blue Green Algae; Foreign DNA; Biological Nitrogen Fixation; Probiotic Bacteria; Transgenic Plants; Phosphinothricin Acetyl Transferase; Rhizobium Meliloti; Lignocellulose Degradation; Viral Coat Protein Genes; Autographa Californica Nuclear Polyhedrosis Virus; N2 Fixation; PGPR; TMV; Anabaena Azollae; Central Tuber Crops Research Institute; Nitrogen Fixation
• DOI: 10.1201/9781482280302-5
• ISBN: 1578083672; 9781578083671

Biotechnology plays a very important role in agriculture as a result of its ability to modify microorganisms, plants, animals and agricultural processes. The umbrella of microbial biotechnology in agriculture covers numerous scientific activities, ranging from production of biofertilizers to that of microbial pesticides; from biological nitrogen fixation to lignocellulose deg­ radation; from production of biomass and biofuels to transgenic plants. Similarly, in aquaculture biotechnology, the subject ranges from biofertilizers to phosphorus solubilization and lignocellulose degradation, microbial degradation of pollutants to adsorption of heavy metals, from formation of biofilm to bioprocessing of biomaterials such as metabolites, proteins, enzymes, polysaccharides, etc., which can ultimately lead to new industrial processes and better control of pests and diseases. Aquaculture research is being used to develop and commercialize vaccines and therapeutics to treat and control whirling and other diseases of fish and prawn, which together, cause losses to the time of $ 30 billion in international aquaculture and fishing industries.