How Bacterial Growth Can Affect Plants
- Bacteria are microscopic prokaryotes (meaning their cells do not contain a nucleus or membrane-bound organelles)
- Some may cause disease in both plants and animals
- Bacteria are often used in studies to test the antimicrobial properties of substances
- Antimicrobial means that the substance will either kill microbes (i.e. bacteria) or prevent their growth
- In order to perform these investigations, it is important to create an environment with all the conditions necessary for bacterial growth to occur
- Bacteria require the following conditions to survive and reproduce:
- They require nutrients, which provide them with the materials needed to grow and respire
- Those that respire aerobically will need a sufficient supply of oxygen
- The temperature and pH of the environment must not be too high or too low to allow enzymes that control metabolic processes to function optimally
