Microbial Cultures: Maintenance, Preservation and Registration

Abstract

Microorganisms account for major biomass on the Earth and play an important role in biogeochemical processes that are important for survival of all forms of life on this planet. In this context, the conservation of microbial communities and their ecosystem should be given high priority. Microbiologists have always thought of preservation of culturable microbial diversity in adequate manner without changes in morphological, physiological, and genetic traits. Culture collections (ex situ conservation), also known as microbial resource centres (MRCs), have made huge contributions in storage and preservation of all kinds of microorganisms. In this chapter, we have discussed ex situ preservation methods of microorganisms followed in National Agriculturally Important Microbial Culture Collection (NAIMCC) and other culture collections across the world. Four international culture collections and seventeen (17) national culture collections having either status of International Depository Authority (IDA) or National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) or both have been discussed in this chapter. This chapter also highlights short-, medium-, and long- term methods used for the preservation of microorganisms along with some latest techniques such as Sordelli’s method, vitrification, and encapsulation. Some critical factors that affect the cell survival and recovery during the process of preservation have also been incorporated. In general, description of NAIMCC with its infrastructure and activities including registration of elite microbial germplasm has been highlighted for benefits of researchers, farmers, and industries of India and abroad.