Index >> Fundamentals of Microbial Ecology >> Historical Aspects

Sergie Winogradsky (1890) is regarded as the founder of soil microbiology. He successfully isolated nitrifying bacteria and also developed a model system for growing anaerobic-photosynthetic and microaerophilic soil bacteria now known as the Winogradshy’s column. He also developed the concept of microbial chemoautotrophy. He described the anaerobic nitrogen fixing bacteria and contributed to the studies of reduction of nitrates and symbiotic nitrogen fixation. He showed that nitrifying bacteria are responsible for transforming ammonia to nitrates in the soil. He originated the nutritional classification of soil microbes as Autochthonous (native) and Autochthonous (opportunistic).