Agar has so many uses in different fields like in microbiology, biochemistry, and

molecular biology. In microbiology, it is the most important and widely used material. Agar
cannot be digested by microbes but it can contain nutrients that can help grow the bacteria,
fungi and other microorganisms. Microbes feed on the nutrients of the agar leaving it intact,
allowing colonies to be easily studied.
Agar is a phycocolloid, hydrophilic, gelatinous extract that is derived from certain types
of red algae (Class Rhodophycae) including Gelidium, Pterocladia and Gracilaria. Gelidium is
the most preferred source of agars. Agar possesses this certain ability called hysteresis, which
lets the agarn to solidify and melt at certain temperatures. Agar is generally resistant to shear
forces but different agars have different gel strengths or their degree of stiffness. It is also used
in making emulsions and as a supporting medium in other procedures such as immunodiffusion
and electrophoresis.
Bacteria or any microorganisms that are being cultured in the agar plate are being
isolated by performing streaking. There are different types of streaking and one of this was the
quadrant streaking. It is a technique in streaking for microbial inoculation in which a single
colony is isolated on the plate in four quadrants.

References:

http://www.microbiologyinfo.com/nutrient-agar-composition-preparation-and-uses
http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/agar
http://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair
-projects/project_ideas/MicroBio_Agar.shtml
http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-agar.htm
http://vlab.amrita.edu/?sub=3&brch=73&sim=213&cnt=2