Thursday, August 30, 2012

Microbes and Biodiversity


What is Microbes?
According to my understanding during university study explains that microbes include Viruses, Bacteria, Fungi, Algae and Protozoa that are present surround us. This microbes represent the vast majority of earths biodiversity but are least studied organisms by scientists. These cryptic organism are of critical importance to the sustainability of life on earth. They function in the ecosystem as pathogens, parasitic, muralists, decomposers, nutrient cyclers and bioremediators and contribute significant to the health of the ecosystems. This article I managed to discuss about microbes in a simple manner in Anim  Agriculture Technology.

Today's with a new tools and new methods and a modern newly interdisciplinary approaches, this untapped reservoir of biodiversity has been seen as new resources for biotechnology product with a high impact on industrial and agricultural productions. In Malaysia,  the awareness program in biodiversity and conservation program has been activated by various  government agencies, NGO's and many others how to utilized the microbes. 

The significant amount of interest in the on the development of this microbes for crop protection has emerged in recent years. Apart from using microbes directly as microbial control agents. such as Bacillus spp (Read my article on Bt on my blog dated April 2010) Baculoviruses and Entomopathogenic fungi controlling pests and plant growth enhancers as well as antagonists such as Trichoderma sppand mycorhizal fungi, many of these microbes are rich source of biologically active compound with potential use in agricultural horticulture and forestry.

Crytoxisa is an example which was extracted from blue green algae have generated a new class of fungicide with a great potential in agro-chemical industry. Other example of complex microbes was Spinosyn that was the main active ingredient of an insecticide Spinosad where was derived from a soil inhibiting bacterium called Saccharopolyspora spinosa. This new finding helps us to go further more study in the microbes potential exploration. I hope in future there are more beneficial microbes in agriculture product improved our environments.

MANY PEOPLE DON'T KNOW MICROBES...
VIRUS, FUNGI, BACTERIA, ALGAE...
THEY FOUND EVERY CORNER , WHERE?...
MORE EXPLORATION HAS TO BE MADE....

By
M Anem
Horticulture Division,
Dept of Agriculture,
Tawau, Sabah,
Malaysia(Article based on 2nd NAC in Tawau)

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