RVS PADMAVATHI COLLEGE OF HORTICULTURE

SEMPATTI, DINDIGUL
Affiliated To Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore

MID SEMESTER
AGM 301 Soil And Applied microbiology (1+1)
PART A
Objective type questions:

1. Which phase contains application of microbiological activities to soil fertility and crop
Production ?
a. Pedological b. Experimental C. Ecological d. Agronomical
Agronomical
2. Who found out anaerobic soil bacteria degrade cellulose ?
a. S.N.Winogradsky b. Beijerinck C. Omeliansky d. Frank
Omeliansky
3. In which year the history and development of soil microbiology is developed by Hiltner?
a. 1888 b. 1890 C. 1904 d. 1940
1904
4. Who demonstrated the role of bacteria in nitrification process in 1890 ?
a. Waksman b. Winogradsky C. Fleming d. Conn
Winogradsky
5. Who discovered Penicillin ?
a. Allen and Allen b. Browen C. Alexander Fleming d. Starkey
Alexander Fleming
6. In which year the direct soil examination is found by Conn ?
a. 1918 b.1930 C. 1927 d. 1909
1918
7. When the microbial population decreases as the depth of soil Horizon?
a. Horizon A < B < C b. Horizon A > B < C C. Horizon A < B > C
d. Horizon A > B > C
Horizon A > B > C
8. Which is called native microbes?
a. Zymogenous b. N utilizing bacteria C. Transient microbes d. Arthrobacter
Arthrobacter
9. The most dominant group of microorganisms in soil is?
a. Fungi b. Bacteria d. Algae d. Protozoa
Bacteria
10. Find out the Odd one in secondary factors of affecting microbial activities in soil?
a. Crop rotation b. Cultural practices C. Soil PH d. Soil depth
H
Soil P
11. In Soil organic matter the most abundant 15 60 % of the dry weight is in?
a. Lignin b. Cellulose C. Hemi cellulose d. Proteins
Cellulose
 12. The convention of nitrate and nitrite in to molecular N 2 (or) nitrous oxide through microbial
processes is known?
a. Denitrification b. Immobilization C. Mineralization
d. Assimilation
Denitrification
13. Bacterial density of Rhizosphere soil is ?
a. 109//g b. 108/g C. 105/g d. 104/g
109 /g
14. Microbial activities involved in the cycling of C , N and P are absolutely essential for
maintenance?
a. Soil nutrient b. Soil PH c. Soil fertility d. Soil depth
Soil fertility
15. Process of assimilation of P in to microbial nucleic acids , phospholipids and other protoplasmic
substances is?
a. Mineralization b. Assimilation c. Volatalization d.
Immobilization
Immobilization

Match the following

1. Brown - Studied on microbial fungi
2. Azotobacter – Free living nitrogen fixers
3. Autotrophs- Synthesize their own food
4. Azorhizobium – Stem nodulating
5. Waksman- Streptomycin
6. Lignin- 5-30% of the plant dry weight
7. Glucon acetobacter diazotrophicus – Endophytic nitrogen fixer
8. Heterotrophs – Depends on preformed food for nutrition
9. Sinorhizobium – Fast growing soybean nodulator
10. Photoautotrophs- Energy from slight
11. Umbreit - Problems of Autotrophy
12. Herbaspirillum – Associative symbiotic nitrogen fixer
13. Beijerink – Root nodule bacteria in pureculture
14. Bradyrhizobium- Symbiotic nitrogen fixers
15. Chemoautotrophs - Energy from oxidation of inorganic chemicals

Fill in the blanks

1. In --------- year garrets Ecological classification of soil fungi found.
a. 1936 b. 1932 c. 1931 d. 1929
1936
2. The soil microbiology has been divided into broad groups -----------.
a. 5 b. 4 c. 3 d. 2
2
3. The colony characters are not similar to bacteria is __________.
a. Algae b. Bactria c. Actinomycetes d. Protozoa
 Actinomycetes

4. _____________ are responsible for the characteristic earth odor/smell.

a. Actinomycetes b.streptomycetes c. Micromonaspora d. Nocardia
streptomycetes
5. _______ have been found in comparable numbers in soils of Antartica , grasslands,
Cultivated fields and forests
a. Yeasts b. Molds c. Mycorrhizal fungi d. Hyphae
Yeasts
6. ________ Is the process of converting substrate to protoplasmic carbon is known as
a. Mineralization b. Immobilization c. Assimilation d. Assimilation & Mineralization
Assimilation
7. A dark coloured and fairly stable soil organic matter with known and unknown physical
And chemical properties is ________
a. Humus b. Cellulose c. Hemicellulose d. Resins
Humus
8. Chemistry of Humus is _________.
a. Single b. complex c. Single & complex d.Compund
Complex
9. Microorganisms of Genera in Lignin
a. Hypholoma b. Trichoderma c. Rhizopous d. Nocardia
Hypholoma
10. The biological oxidation of ammonium salts to nitrites and the subsequent oxidation of
nittites to nitrates is ____________.
a. Ammonification b. Mineralization c. Nitrification d. Denitrification
Nitrification
11. The escape of molecular N into the atmosphere is __________.
a.Nitrification b. Denitrification c. Immobilization d. Volatalization
Volatalization
12. ____________ Is the predominant symbiotic N2 fixing bacteria
a. Azospirillum b.Glucan acetobater c. Rhizobium d. Azotobacter
Rhizobium
13. ________ many molecules of ATP are required to fix a molecule of N 2
a.17 molecules b. 16 molecules c. 15 molecules d. 18 molecules
16 molecules
14. The root surface and its adhering soil are _________
a. Rhizosplane b. Rhizobioum c. Azorhizobium d.Sinorhizobium
Rhizosplane
15. The rhizosphere effect is consistently greater microbe is ___________ .
a. Fungi b. Bacteria c. Algae d. Actinomyctes
Bacteria
PART B- 2 MARK QUESTIONS

Read the following passage and answer the question

I. An introduction on details of branches of distinct phases of soil microbiology is to be understood by
students. Based on understanding, the phases of microbiology can be answered by following answers
1. Which phase deals with the application of microbiological activities to soil fertility and crop
production
a. Ecological phase b. Physiological phase c. Pedological phase d. Agronomical phase
Agronomical phase
2. Which phase gives importance of microorganisms in soil formation and soil structure
a. Ecological phase b. Pedological phase c. physiological phase
d. Agronomical phase
Pedological phase
3. Deals with the study of the quantitative and qualitative composition of the microscopic and
ultramicroscopic soil population
a. Ecological phase b. Experimental phase c. Agronomical phase
d. Pedological phase
Ecological phase
4. Which has main role in the cycle of life in nature and their utilization for the formation of valuable
metabolic products
a. Agronomical phase b. Ecological phase c. Experimental phase
d. Pedological phase
Experimental phase

II. With regard to the history and development of soil microbiology could be answered by
1. Who found that the legumes can obtain nitrogen from air when grown in soil which was not
heated
a. Frank b. Beijerinck C. J.B.Boussingault d. Omeliansky
J.B.Boussingault
2. In 1902 he found out that the anaerobic soil bacteria will degrade cellulose
a.Leishman b. Hiltner c. Starkey d. Omeliansky
Omeliansky
3. He is the one first who isolated the root nodule bacteria in pure culture
a. Hiltner b. Beijerinck c. . Frank d. Liebig
Beijerinck
4. Who discovered streptomucin in 1944
a.Conn b. Van Niel c. Garret d. Waksman
Waksman

III.To work as a researcher, a student should understand the contributions of some important
scientists in soil microbiology that could be answered by
1. Who demonstrated the role of bacteria in nitrification process in 1890 and isolated two groups
of nitrifying bacteria
A. Beijerinck b. Selman A. Waksman C. S.N.Winogradsky d. Alexander fleming
S.N.Winogradsky
2. He found that natural substances/natural products are having antimicrobial activity
a. S.N.Winogradsky b. Alexander fleming C. Beijerinck d. Selman A. Waksman
Alexander fleming
 3. Who was the first to isolate and describe Azotobacter and obtained the pureculture of
azotobacter chroococcum and azotobacter agilis
a. Beijerinck b. Waksman c. S.N.Winogradsky d. Alexander fleming
Beijerinck
4. Who published the book on “Principles of soil microbiology”
a. Leishman b. Rovira c. Starkey d. Selman A. Waksman
Selman A. Waksman
IV.Based on study on types of years (periods) the contributions and important scientists the following
could be answered
1. In which year Beijerinck obtained the pureculture of root nodule bacterium Rhizobium
a. 1858 b. 1888 c. 1822 d. 1893
1888
2. In which year the Antibiotic penicillin discovered
a. 1922 b. 1942 c. 1929 d. 1939
1929
3. In which year the Antibiotic Streptomycin discovered for tuberculosis
a. 1927 b. 1939 c. 1942 d. 1944
1944
4. Selman A. Waksman isolated Thiobacillus thioxidans in the year
a. 1922 b. 1927 c. 1939 d. 1942
1922
V. In order to distribution, importance of microorganism and factors influencing the activities of
microorganism the understanding of factors of microorganism could be answered by
1. Some microorganisms synthesize their own food derive energy from light (or) chemicals are
a. Heterotrophs b. Photoautotrophs c. Autotrophs d. Chemoautotrophs
Autotrophs
2. Microorganisms getting energy from slight, C from CO 2 are called
a. Autotrophs b. Heterotrophs c. Photoautotrophs d. Chemoautotrophs
Photoautotrophs
3.The microorganisms having energy from oxidation of inorganic chemicals, C from CO 2 are
a. Autotrophs b. Chemoautotrophs c. Heterotrophs d. Photoautotrophs
Chemoautotrophs
4.Some microorganisms depends on preformed food for nutrition,derive energy and C from organic
compounds are
a. Heterotrophs b. Autotrophs C. Photoautotrophs d. Chemoautotrophs
Heterotrophs

VI. Based on carbon cycle in soil microbiology and C:N ratio the following could be answered
1. At what condition N ratio results slow decay
a. Less than C:N range b. Low N (or) wide C c. Optimum level of C d. Optimum
level at C:N
Low N (or) wide C
2. When the ratio is lesser microbial cells, slower the immobilization and mineralization increases
gradually, resulting in accumulation of ammonia and nitrates
a. Less than C:N range b. Low N (or) wide C c. Wider the ratio d. Low N (or) Low C
Wider the ratio
3. At what level, there must be an equilibrium between mineralization and immobilization
a. Optimum level at C : N b. Optimum level at C c. Optimum level at N d. Optimum
level at Wider range
Optimum level at C : N
4. When the yield has more microbial cells, faster mineralization and it likely exceeds immobilization
a. Wider the ratio b. Less than C:N range c. Optimum level at C d.Optimum
level at C : N
Less than C:N range

VII. To understand the important of microorganisms and factors like Bacteria, Algae, Yeat, Fungi the
following could be answered by
1. ----------- occur in small numbers in soil they are photosynthetic organization and isolation can be
done in liquid media
a. Yeast b. Bacteria c. Algae d. Protozoa
Algae
2. The most dominant groups of microorganisms in soil is ------------
a. Algae b. Protozoa c. Yeast d. Bacteria
Bacteria
3. As the important constituent group of soil population, they are widely distributed in most well-
cultivated soils is
a. Yeast b. Algae c. Fungi d. Protozoa
Fungi
4. They are non filamentous fungi,their presence may be demonstrated in most soils,they are
a. Bacteria b. Yeast c. Fungi e. Algae
yeast

VIII. To learn the biological N2 fixation and their process of N2 , the following could be answered by
1.Nitrogenase is a functional enzyme which reduces N 2 to ammonia and depends on energy source from
ATP and it has ------- components
a. 5 b. 4 c. 3 d. 2
2
2.Which consists of 4 subunits and having the molecular not of 22,0000 or 270,000 daltons and it is the
big components
a. Mo – protein b. Fe - protein c. Mo – Fe protein d. All proteins
Mo – Fe protein
3. The process of N2 fixation is mediated by the enzyme is called
a. Hydrogenase b. denitrogenase c. dehydrogenase d. nitrogenase
Nitrogenase
4. It has smaller component contains 2 subunits and molecular weight of 60,000 daltons where
ammonia is the end product of N2 fixation is
a. Mo – Fe protein b. Fe - protein c. Mo – protein d. All proteins
Fe - protein

IX. In order to nitrogen cycle some of the definition to be understand by the students and the
following could be answered
1.It is the process of mineralization in which proteins,nucleic acids and other organic components are
degraded by microorganism with the eventual liberation of amminia
a. Nitrification b. Ammonification c. Mineralization d. Immobilization
Ammonification
2.The conversion of organic N to the more mobile,inorganic state is known
a. Ammonification b. Nitrification c .Denitrification d. Nitrogen mineralization
Nitrogen mineralization
3. The biological oxidation of ammonium salts to nitrites and the subsequent oxidation of nitrites to
nitrates is called
a. Nitrification b. Mineralization c. Ammonification d. Denitrification
Nitrification
4. The convension of nitrate and nitrite into molecular N 2 (or) nitrous oxide through microbial processes
a. Immobilization b. Nitrification c. Denitrification d. Ammonification
Denitrification

X. The Microbial transformation of P , cycle , Mineralization , importance of Rhizosphere. Based on the

understanding the following could be answered.
1. In cultivated soil P present in abundant about
a. 1000 kg/ha b. 1100 kg/ha c. 1200 kg/ha d. 1400 kg/ha
1100 kg/ha
2. Actinomycetes and algae are not significantly benefited by their proximity to roots, and the R:S ratio
may rarely exceed
a. 2 b. 3 c. 3:1 d. 2 or 3:1
2 or 3:1
3. The process of assimilation of P into microbial nucleic acids, phospholipids or other protoplasmic
substances is called
a.Mineralization b.Immobilization c.Oxidation d.Oxidation reduction
Immobilization
4. In R:S ratio , the bacterial density is 10 9 /g rhizosphere and it may cover_______ % of the root area.
a. 2-10 % b. 3-10 % c. 4-10 % d. 5-10 %
4-10 %

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All The Best
*****