Importance of microorganisms in everyday life

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The maintenance of life on earth depends on the continued recycling of inorganic materials and the decomposition of organic matter. Microorganisms play an important role in these processes. For many elements microorganisms are the only biological agents capable of regenerating key forms of the elements needed by other organisms, particularly by plants.

Crop production has increased with the improvement in agricultural practices. Some examples of such practices are cultivation of free-living, nitrogen-fixing, cyanobacteria for increasing rice production in paddy fields, use of nitrogen-fixing microorganisms to inoculate legumes and use of microorganisms to break down waste material and crop debris for re-use by new crop plants.


Microorganisms have long been used to produce animal feeds and human food. Examples in this category are single-celled proteins (SCP) (e.g., algae such as Spirulina, Scenedesmus and Chlorella) used as animal feed; mushrooms and yeasts used for human foods.

With an increasing awareness of the need to ensure the safety of the environment, search for alternative methods of controlling insect pests has already commenced. Microorganisms that cause diseases in insects have offered possibilities on a commercial scale. Examples are Bacillus thuringiensis for the control of Lepidopteran larvae; Granuloses Viruses (GV) and Nuclear Polyhedroses Viruses (NPV) for controlling Colorado beetle and codling moth.

Microorganisms (e.g., Saccharomyces) have played a historic role in the fermentation of a variety of organic materials, mainly related to the production of beverages like beers and wines.

With organic waste material such as cow dung or urban organic refuse, microorganisms convert 30-50% of the combustible energy to methane (biogas).

Food preservation (e.g., canning, smoking) methods including refrigeration helped us to food from spoilage. This enables wide distribution and storage of food against time and need.

Discovery of the microbial causes of most human, animal and plant diseases led to the development of vaccines, antibiotics and other chemicals to control and cure diseases.

Knowledge of microbiology has resulted in the setting up of public health control based on scientific knowledge. Modern developments in sanitation and public health have resulted in the prevention of many diseases.


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