Soil Microbiology

Soil microbial population dynamics. Effect of environmental factors on microbial activity of soil organic matter. Decomposition processes role of organic matter in maintaining soil productivity harmful and beneficial organisms to plants. Traditional cultural and physiological methods, molecular techniques (PCR - DGGE, TGGE, SSCP, T-RFLP, Pyrosequencing), biomarkers and PLFA analysis, New microscopic and image analyses, Nitrogen fixation, organisms involved, taxonomy, genetics, strain selection, biochemistry of N2 fixation, measurement of N2 fixation, factors affecting the process application in farming systems.