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Roles of Novel Bacterial and Fungal Metabolites in Agriculture
Published in Gustavo Molina, Zeba Usmani, Minaxi Sharma, Abdelaziz Yasri, Vijai Kumar Gupta, Microbes in Agri-Forestry Biotechnology, 2023
Richa Salwan, Randhir Kaur, Vivek Sharma
Biological pesticides are target-specific and their application in agriculture and public health is considerable. The worldwide bioherbicides market was about $973 million in 2015 and is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of 10.87% between 2015 and 2020. Currently, hundreds of bacteria have been explored as pathogen of insects. Among these, Bacillus thuringiensis and genes have been used due to its insecticidal activity against caterpillar, mosquito larvae, fly and beetles (Argolo-Filho and Loguercio 2014; Nawaz et al., 2016). The endotoxin protein known as Bt and produced during spore formation after binding is capable of destroying digestive tract of insects which can lead to their death (Schunemann et al., 2014). This protein specifically targets caterpillars including butterflies and moths, mosquito larvae, blackflies and simuliid, and hence recommended for fruit and vegetable crops (Meadows, 1993).
Ecological pest, weed, and disease management
Published in Stephen R. Gliessman, V. Ernesto Méndez, Victor M. Izzo, Eric W. Engles, Andrew Gerlicz, Agroecology, 2023
Stephen R. Gliessman, V. Ernesto Méndez, Victor M. Izzo, Eric W. Engles, Andrew Gerlicz
Demand for effective, organic-approved pesticides has driven product development in this industry. Among the growing number of organically approved chemicals are organic pesticides known as biopesticides. Biopesticides, as their name suggests, are biologically based analogs to conventional pesticides. There are two types: biochemical and microbial. Biochemical biopesticides are naturally occurring biologically derived chemicals that reduce pest pressure because they are directly toxic or because they induce behavioral or physiological changes that decrease the success of a targeted pest species. Microbial biopesticides, in contrast, are live cultures of microbial species—most often fungi or bacteria—that produce toxins with varying degrees of pest specificity. Because of this specificity, they can be deployed strategically to minimize non-target effects. One of the most widely used microbial biopesticides is Bacillus thuringiensis—the same bacterium whose genes are utilized for genetically engineered insect-resistant crops. With thousands of naturally occurring strains of Bt, the versatility of Bt biopesticides is unparalleled. As such, the bacterium has become ubiquitous in organic production systems. Biopesticides such as Bt are quickly becoming a mainstay of organic pest management owing to the simplicity of their application and their relative efficacy as a pest control tool.
Wastewater Spawned Infectious Disease
Published in Frank R. Spellman, Fundamentals of Wastewater-Based Epidemiology, 2021
Bacteria are categorized into three general groups based on their physical form or shape (though almost every variation has been found; see Table 10.2). The simplest form is the sphere. Spherical shaped bacteria are called cocci (meaning “berries”). They are not necessarily perfectly round but may be somewhat elongated, flattened on one side, or oval. Rod shaped bacteria is called bacilli. Spiral shaped bacteria (called Spirilla), which have one or more twists and are never straight, make up the third group (see Figure 10.2). Such formations are usually characteristic of a particular genus or species. Within these three groups are many different arrangements. Some exist as single cells; others as pairs, as packets of four or eight, as chains, and as clumps.
Bacterial distribution in long-term dioxin-contaminated soil in Vietnam and novel dioxin degrading bacteria isolated from Phu Cat airbase
Published in Soil and Sediment Contamination: An International Journal, 2023
Kien Cuong Pham, Thi Tam Thu Nguyen, Van Hoang Nguyen, Anh T.N. Dao
Bacillus is a potential candidate for bioremediation since it can degrade several pollutants such as herbicides, pesticides, PCBs, PAH, oil, and other POPs (Angel, Estrada-Casta~neda, and Laura 2015; Gangola et al. 2022; Han et al. 2023; Mandree et al. 2021; Romeh and Hendawi 2014). The studies of soil bacterial community also support the role of Bacillus in bioremediation by its abundance in the soil/enrichment culture or the performance on degradation by isolated strains (Sabrin, Mansour, and Abdulsamie 2022; Kumar and Thakur 2022; Hanano et al. 2019; W. Y. Chen et al. 2013; Hiraishi 2003; Huang et al. 2019). Next, Priestia megaterium (previously named Bacillus megaterium) is a representative Bacilli strain that breakdowns chlorinated dioxin, including the most toxic congener 2,3,7,8-TCDD, the breakdown mechanism involving Cytochrome system (Eiben, Eiben, and Sabine 2006; Hanano et al. 2019; Sulistyaningdyah et al. 2004).
The reduction of viscosity of heavy crude with micro-organisms
Published in Energy Sources, Part A: Recovery, Utilization, and Environmental Effects, 2021
Onwuachi-Iheagwara Nneka, Iheagwara Benedict Ifeanyichukwu, Asahanersa Peters, Iheagwara Patricia Onyekachukwu, Aruawamedor Christopher Onome
To this end, three (3) bacteria were considered; namely Bacillus subtilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Klebsiella spp. Bacillus subtilis is rod-shaped and unicellular. It propels itself through several helical flagella distributed over the surface of its body; with length and width of 5 µm and 1 µm, respectively. Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a gram-negative, rod-shaped, mono-flagellated bacterium 1–5 µm long and 05–1.0 µm wide. Klebsiella spp is non-motile, gram-negative, and rod-shaped, with length of 0.5–5.0 µm and 0.3 − 1.5 µm in width. The experiment involved inoculation of 10 Erlenmeyer flasks containing 50 ml of sterile heavy crude oil (initial viscosity 382 cP) twice, with concoctions of bacteria in different combinations randomly. The elapse time between inoculations and viscosity readings were arbitrarily set. First viscosity readings of crude were taken at the start of the experiment to establish base viscosity before first inoculations. Viscosity readings of crude were re-taken 3 minutes after first inoculations and re-taken 2 minutes after second inoculation of bacteria. The elapse time from first inoculations to second inoculations were arbitrarily set at 5 minutes.
Bacilli as sources of agrobiotechnology: recent advances and future directions
Published in Green Chemistry Letters and Reviews, 2021
Zerihun T. Dame, Mahfuz Rahman, Tofazzal Islam
Phytopathogens pose a great challenge to world food security (25, 11, 10). They diminish the annual yield by a significant amount that could otherwise feed millions of people (25). Thus, they cause huge economic losses to both developing and developed economies. Various studies have established the potential use of Bacillus spp. in controlling plant pathogens (26, 27). Antagonistic activities of these bacilli take place primarily through the production and secretion of various bioactive secondary metabolites (11, 14, 28–32) and lytic enzymes (33–36). Verschuere et al. (37) argued that among bacteria-based antagonists, B. subtilis is one of the most studied and used bacteria with a wide range of activities against phytopathogens. On the other hand, B. thuringiensis (Bt) accounts for over 90% of all marketed biological control agents with millions of dollars of annual sales.