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The meaning or the definition of the word biotechnology has been the subject of hot debate by scientists and technocrats. The definition depends on the extent of expertise a group or an individual has with regard to cell biology. It also depends on the needs of a society or a country one lives in. the use of microorganisms or their products for food, feed, biofertilizers, biopesticides and medicine is discovered during the last 60 years. The major developments in medicine and industry during these years came with the use of microorganisms for the benefit of mankind through new inventions in microbial technology and fermentation processes but the biotechnology of which we are currently talking about is envisaged by splicing genes and altering genomes by insertion of foreign DNA by genetic recombinant DNA techniques (the so-called genetic engineering).

Activities of microorganisms are very important to almost every sector of concern to mankind. From a perusal of the topics discussed in the book one can find applications (uses) of microorganisms to agriculture, forestry, food, industry, medicine and environment. The scope and significance of microbiology has enlarged manifold, particularly when importance of environment was realized globally and the word environment was used in a much wider sense in terms of totality to include almost everything, every bit of nature.

The uniqueness of this book, hence, lies in the author’s way of reconstructing the book by delving deep in to the areas of the subject.