LECTURER:                         Mr Mpepereki

 INTRODUCTION

1.0    Scope of Soil Microbiology
         1.1 Origins, early microbiologists and their contributions
         1.2 Concepts and processes in soil microbiology e.g mineralization, immobilization.
         1.3 Current trends in Soil Microbiological research and applications.

2.0    Diversity of Soil Organisms
         2.1 Classification and criteria: bacteria, actinomycetes, fungi, algae, animals and plants as soil
               inhabitants.
         2.2 Bacteria: morphology, metabolism and growth kinetics – an introduction. Bacteriophages.
         2.3 Methods of studying soil organisms to include enumeration    techniques.

3.0    Soil as environment for micro-organisms: physical and chemical properties.
         3.1 Interactions between soil organisms; plant-microbe     interactions.

4.0    Mineral Transformation in Soil
         4.l Nitrogen:  Microbiology and biochemistry to include biological N-fixation (BNF) and inoculant
              technology; Agricultural implications and effects on environmental quality.
         4.2 Carbon:  Microbiology  and  biochemistry;  implications for organic matter management in
               agriculture.
         4.3 Sulfur:  Oxidation and reduction reactions in soil: organisms and implications for agriculture
               and environmental quality.
         4.4 Iron: Fe and phosphorus, P. Microbial transformations in soil; implications for agricultural
               production.

5.0    Soil Enzymes and Role in Nutrient Cycling

6.0    Biological Control
         6.1 Mechanisms and problems

7.0    Biodegradation of agrochemicals
        7.1  Pollution effects and role of soil micro-organisms in    maintaining environmental quality.