Department of Microbiology
Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana
Micro. 102
Elementary Microbiology (2+1)
Semester-II, 2023-2024
Name of Instructors: Drs Seema Garcha and Shiwani Guleria Sharma
Course Contents
Theory:-History of microbiology and its applied areas. Introduction to prokaryotic and
eukaryotic cell. Major groups of prokaryotes – Actinomycetes, Cyanobacteria, Archaebacteria,
Rickettsia and Chlamydia. Major groups of eukaryotes – fungi, algae and protozoa. Bacterial
growth. Metabolism in bacteria – ATP generation, chemoautotrophy, photoautotrophy,
respiration, fermentation. Viruses, Bacteriophages – structure and properties, lytic and lysogenic
cycles. Viriods, prions. Bacterial genetics – Genetic recombination, transformation, conjugation
and transduction, plasmids, transposons. Carbon, Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Sulphur cycles. Role
of microbial groups in soil fertility and crop production, biofertilizers, biological nitrogen
fixation – symbiotic, associative and asymbiotic. Azolla, blue green algae and mycorrhiza.
Rhizosphere and phyllosphere. Microbes in human welfare – silage production, biopesticides,
biofuel/biogas production and biodegradation of agro-waste. Edible and poisonous mushrooms.
Cultivation technology of mushrooms. Microbiology of water and food.
THEORY SCHEDULE
S. No. Topics Lectures
1 History of microbiology and its applied areas 2
2 Introduction to prokaryotic and eukaryotic cell 1
3 Major groups of prokaryotes – Actinomycetes, Cyanobacteria, 3
Archaebacteria, Rickettsia and Chlamydia
4 Major groups of eukaryotes – fungi, algae and protozoa 2
5 Bacterial growth 1
6 Metabolism in bacteria – ATP generation, chemoautotrophy, 3
photoautotrophy, respiration, fermentation
7 Viruses, Bacteriophages – structure and properties, lytic and lysogenic 3
cycles, viriods, prions
8 Bacterial genetics – Genetic recombination, transformation, conjugation and 4
transduction, plasmids, transposons
9 Carbon, Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Sulphur cycles 2
10 Role of microbial groups in soil fertility and crop production, biofertilizers 2
11 Biological nitrogen fixation – symbiotic, associative and asymbiotic 1
12 Azolla, blue green algae and mycorrhiza 1
13 Rhizosphere and phyllosphere 1
14 Microbes in human welfare – silage production, biopesticides, 3
biofuel/biogas production and biodegradation of agro-waste
15 Edible and poisonous mushrooms 1
16 Cultivation technology of mushrooms 1
17 Microbiology of water and food 1
Total 32
Practical:- Introduction to microbiology laboratory and its equipments. Microscopy, principles
of microscopy, resolving power and numerical aperture. Methods of sterilization. Nutritional
media and preparation. Enumeration of microbial population in soil – bacteria, fungi and
actinomycetes. Methods of isolation and purification of Rhizobium from legume root nodule,
Azotobater from soil, Azospirillum from roots and BGA from soil. Staining and microscopic
examination of microbes. Micrometry.
PRACTICAL SCHEDULE
S. No. Topics Lectures
1 Introduction to microbiology laboratory and its equipments 1
2 Microscopy, principles of microscopy, resolving power and numerical 1
aperture
3 Staining and microscopic examination of microbes 1
4 Micrometry 1
5 Methods of sterilization 1
6 Nutritional media and preparation 1
7 Enumeration of microbial population in soil – bacteria, fungi and 1
actinomycetes
8 Methods of isolation and purification of Rhizobium from legume root 1
nodule
9 Methods of isolation and purification of Azotobater from soil. 1
10 Methods of isolation and purification of Azospirillum from roots 1
11 Methods of isolation and purification of BGA from soil 1
Total 11
Examination Schedule:
Examination Weightage
Ist hourly 10
Mid-Term 25
Practical 30
Final 35
Total 100
Recommended Books:
1 Introduction to Microbiology by P.Tauro, K.K. Kapoor, K.S. Yadav , IARI, New
Delhi
2 Microbiology by Pelczar, chan and Krieg, McGraw Hill, NY.
3 Microbiology – Fundamentals & Applications by Purohit S.S., Chopra Printers,
Jodhpur
