how do microorganisms help plants grow?
539083
Microorganisms (soil bacteria) are the most important component of any soil. They dissolve rock particles and release nutrients to the plants through decomposition. The microorganisms release carbon dioxide gas into the film of water surrounding soil particles, making the water slightly acid. This causes it to react with the rock particles and dissolve them, providing a slow, steady release of nutrients.\n\nAll microorganisms decompose decayed vegetation or other microorganisms. The decayed vegetation, called humus, is the basis for soil life. Without humus, we get no naturally formed nitrogen, and plants become weak and more susceptible to insect attack. Humus has other beneficial effects besides feeding soil microorganisms. It mechanically loosens the soil itself and creates a texture called good tilth.\n\nWhen soil has good tilth, it is soft, porous and easy to work and crumbles easily into fine pieces. Water penetrates the soil better and the soil also holds more water.\n\nTilth prevents the formation of hard crusts on the soil's surface. It allows plants to put out larger root systems easily. When there is lots of air in the soil, microorganisms flourish and speed mineral release. Good tilth allows delicate seedlings to get a good start. Focusing on the basics: \n\nAbundant Soil Microorganisms \nImproving Humus and Tilth \nis the first step and the foundation for long-lived successful reclamation, and restoration of the soil ecosystem.
57169
Most plants grow best in damp soil that is most similar to their natural habitat.  If you put a plant in pure water it will get the water it needs but not the other nutrients that it also needs, especially nitrogen which is an important part of many plant molecules.\n\nSo, generally, no.  However there are of course some plants that can grow in water, assuming you add the nutrients to the water.
825715
Bacteria are involved in decomposition, fixing Nitrates into the soil and digesting plant matter in the guts of herbivorous animals, for starters. Without this crops wouldn't grow, animals couldn't eat them and dead bodies wouldn't break down.
1151421
Lots of microbes produce pectinase.\nThose can be isolated from fruit skin, and other high pectin containing natural resources.
229871
They are plants or animals  , usually a bacterium or fungus, that breaks down the cells of dead plants and animals into simpler substances.
957778
The worms dig tunnels which help aerate the soil.  (helps get air into the soil.)  This allows the roots of plants to expand which helps to make the plant grow larger.\n\nI did a science project on worms when I was in the 5th grade....granted that was a long time ago, but I don't think worms have changed much since then.
631159
The eyespot helps the organism find sunglight to power photosythesis and the chloroplast allows the organism to carry out photosthesis when light is available. \nThey work together because the eyespot finds sunlight which allows the cholorplast to allow the organism to carry out photosythesis. \nHope this helps!
67893
Well, not to sure about your question... so I'll do my best.\n\nPositive interactions between microbes would be ones that cause a general benefit.  Like a bacteria excreting a certain amino acid that another bacteria would need in order to survive.\n\nNegative interaction would be microbes causing a detriment to each other.  Pencillium notatum generates an antibiotic naturally, causing a harmful environment to some bacteria.\n\nSymbiosis is two organisms living together in harmony.  If you refference Margulis's endosymbiont hypothesis, a large microbe, say an amoeba engulfs a photosynthetic bacteria.  The amoeba provides a safe location for the bacteria, and the bacteria provides energy to the amoeba.\n\nAntagonism... not to sure about this one.  Probably something of a parasitic interaction.
1056577
Yes, talking to plants and playing music does stimulate growth in plants. In my second year of college at the University of Tennessee Knoxville, I did an experiment in Biodiversity on music and plant growth. I had three groups of plants: The first group were totally neglected, without food, music, light, or water. The second group had food, light and water. The third group had the same but I added music at a specific time of day every day. I played classical music and music from the group "Earth, Wind, and Fire."\n\nAccording to French Physicist, Joel Sternheimer, the sound sequences are not random but are carefully constructed melodies. Each note is chosen to correspond to an amino acid in a protein with the full tune corresponding to the entire protein. What this means is that the sounds sequenced in just the right order results in a tune which is unique and harmonizes with the internal structure of a specific plant type. Each plant type has a different sequence of notes to stimulate its growth. According to New Scientist, "Sternheimer claims that when plants "hear" the appropriate tune, they produce more of that protein. He also writes tunes that inhibit the synthesis of proteins." In other words, desirable plants could be stimulated to grow while undesirable plants (weeds for instance) could be inhibited. This is done with electromagnetic energy, in this case sound waves, pulsed to the right set of frequencies thus effecting the plant at an energetic and submolecular level.\n\nAfter six weeks of study, Group one died. Group two grew as normal. Group three actually grew better than the latter two and had flowers to bloom from its buds. My experiement was a success and I was the only student out of 30 to get perfect score :)
51996
I thought that plants didnt really grow towards the sun, its more that the growth is slowed in the cells due to the presence of excess plant hormone Auxin which is produced in sunlight causing them to grow faster on the "dark"side resulting in the appearence of them "growing" towards the sun (phototropism)
867285
more plant cells.  photosynthesis (production of energy)+water+soil nutrients=plant cell reproduction and growth.
1005801
Microbiologists are hunting all over the world for bacteria with amazing abilities.  ( I recently answered a question about the discovery of bacteria that extract gold from seawater).\n\nChances are, your household already contains the products of bacteria.  The enzymes in detergent, yogurt, buttermilk, and vitamin supplements and many products are produced by bacteria or fungi.\n\nBelow are two links to some current uses of microbes.\n\nI have no doubt that scientists could use bacteria to produce energy from waste.  In fact methane (natural gas) is  a fuel that can already be produced by microbial decomposition.
825792
You have to be more specific.  Microorganisms grow in pretty much every condition on Earth, including hot and sulfurous ocean water by volcanic vents, in ice at the poles, in badly-preserved jars (botulism--anaerobic), inside the body, in ponds, in caves, in the dark, in the sunlight...it all depends on the specific type of microorganism.\n\nFor instance, sugar tends to kill bacteria, but mold loves sugar.  So a jar of jelly left in a fridge for a long time (cold, wet, sugary environment for the microorganisms) might not have bacteria, but it could have fuzzy mold on it.  It all depends.  \n\nBut from a food safety standpoint, you want food kept either below 40 degrees fahrenheit, or above 140 degrees, and keep it wrapped up and covered to avoid stuff dropping in it.  In general, microorganisms like: warm (not hot or cold), dark, moist, and somewhat neutral pH.  That'll grow mold, mildew, fungus, and many types of bacteria.  They usually don't like clean surfaces and they tend to die in chlorine bleach.
151470
depends on what classes of microbe you are reffering to: aerobic (needs oxygen) or anaerobic (oxygen is poison to them). Most all microbes love molasses and high starch items like rice. These substrates offers a wide spectrum of minerals and sugars. The minerals provide "enzyme bridges" for different kinds of microbes to exist "happily" together (even aerobes and anaerobes).
896536
Plants must have light to grow.  It doesn't necessarily have to be sunlight. Artificial light is a great to grow most plants too.  Photosynthesis is what causes plants to exchange necessary nutrients to create growth but each have unique abilities to utilize whatever light source is available.
883000
Yes humidity does affect the growth of plants but the effect is greater in conditions of low humidity (dry).  When it is dry many plants will minimise opening of their stomata to reduce water loss this also has the effect of slowing gas exchange.  Plants need to take in CO2 for photosynthesis, if the stomata are closed this decreses the rate of photosynthesis and therefore the plant has less sugars created.  When the plant has less sugars (food) it can't grow as much.  \nSwamps can have the effect of flooding the root systems of plants so they don't work properly.  There are specially adapted plants that can survive in swamps, most can't.\nHope this helps
942614
water is an important component that contribute to plant growth..water can liquidify the chemical substances inside the plant and the nutrient can be readily absorb by the flowers....water reach flowers by the transpirational pulls