Agricultural Microbiology

Morfology and cytology of microorganisms. Prokaryotic and eukaryotic microorganisms. Prokaryotic cell structure and function: size, shape, arrangement; cell membranes, cytoplasmic matrix, cell wall, capsules, slime layers, S-layers, pili (fimbriae), flagella, motility, chemotaxis, endospores. Principles of microbial nutrition. Nutrient requirements and nutritional categories of microorganisms. Microbial growth and factors influencing growth. Genetic of microorganisms. Bacterial chromosome and plasmids. Evolution in bacteria: mutations and bacterial horizontal gene transfer (transformation, conjugation, transduction). Introduction to virology. General properties of viruses. Bacteriophages. Principles of microbial metabolism. Fermentations: energetic and redox considerations. Fermentative diversity. Aerobic and anaerobic respiration in prokaryotes. Chemolithotrophy: energy from the oxidation of inorganic electron donors. Hydrogen oxidation, oxidation of reduced sulfur compounds, nitrification. Anoxygenic and oxygenic photosynthesis. Microbial taxonomy. Species and strain concepts. Basic microbial ecology concepts. Role of microorganisms in natural habitat. The carbon cycle. The nitrogen cycle. Nitrate reduction and denitrification. Nitrogen fixation. The cycles of sulfur. Microbial interactions (neutralism, competition, antagonism, predation, parasitism, commensalisms, synergism, and mutualism). Plant-microbe interactions: rhizosphere, mycorrhizas, actinorrhizas, and rhizobes. Introduction to biological pest control. Biological sewage treatment and organic matter recycling.Bacteriology laboratories practices. Basic cultivation and microscopic techniques.