Psychrotolerant Microbes: Characterization, Conservation, Strain Improvements, Mass Production, and Commercialization

Abstract

Exploring cold habitats offers untapped sites for screening and harnessing potential/novel psychrotrophic microbes bestowed with the characteristic to grow near 0 C and optima lying in mesophilic range. These microbes are of great commercial importance and find multiple uses in different areas such as industries, pharmaceuticals, and agriculture as they are potential producers of enzymes, peptides, biodetergents, antibiotics and acquire multiple plant growth-promoting traits. Utility of such cold-active microbial strains is of immense need for high altitude agroecosystems due to the unique climatic conditions. Hence, it is crucial to identify, characterize, and conserve these beneficial microbes that maintain their functional properties under cold temperature conditions. This chapter is likely to provide some more insights into the recent developments associated with improvement and large-scale production of psychrotolerant microbes as well as scaling up for commercial production.