On basis of Taxonomic characters Microbiology is further divided into the following

branches
Bacteriology
Mycology
Phycology
Parasitology
Immunology
Virology
1. Bacteriology
Bacteriology is a branch of Microbiology that deals with study of Bacteria.This Bacteria
are prokaryotic, unicellular in nature.Their mode of multiplication is by Binary
fission.Bacteria can be parasitic or can be free living in atmosphere.The nuclear
material is not bound to nuclear membrane.This bacteria may be motile or non-
motile.They may vary in their shape like rod,spiral or cocci and they may be
aerobic,non-aerobic or facultative anaerobic in nature.On the basis of mode of nutrition
some bacteria may have autotrophic or hetrotrophic mode of nutrition.

2.Mycology
Mycology is a branch of microbiology that deals with study of Fungus.This fungus cells
are eukaryotic in nature the nuclear material is surrounded by Chitin or cellulose or
both. This fungal cells are non-photosynthetic and chemoorganotrophic in nature.These
fungal cells are divided into two types and that is yeast and molds.

Yeast -The yeast cell may occur in single cell or pseudomycelium form.The mode of
reproduction is by budding or by Spore formation.Yeast are also know as Ascomycetes
and this yeast cells may be oval,rod or spherical in shape.
Molds-The molds grow in form of multi-cellular filamentous structure called as hyphae.
This hyphae may be septed or non-septed. They can reproduce by both means of
sexual and asexual mode of reproduction.
3. Phycology
Phycology is a branch of microbiology that deals with the study of algae.They are
photosynthetic,eukaryotic,and multi cellular organism.
4. Parasitology
It is a branch of biology that deals with the study of parasites. This branch mainly
include the study of three major group of bacteria parasitic protozoa,parasitic worms,
and arthropods.In the relationship between host and parasite is also studied.This
parasites may be unicellular or multi-cellular. This parasites are mainly responsible for
causing infection in humans and animals.

5.Immunology
Immunology is a branch of microbiology that deals with the study of Immune system of
all organism specially human being and animals.In this branch of microbiology the
relationships between host body,pathogen and immunity is studied.

6. Virology
This branch of microbiology deals with the study of Viruses.Viruses are very small ultra-
microscopic in nature and they are visible through electron microscope.Viruses are
metabolically inert and are completely dependent on host cell for replication.Viruses are
capable to infect all types of cells from a bacteria to a human.It contain only one type of
nucleic acid that is either DNA or RNA.

On the basis of taxonomic characters these were some branches of microbiology.

Their are some major applied branches of microbiology.

Applied Branches of microbiology are as follows

Air Microbiology
Water Microbiology
Sewage Microbiology
Soil Microbiology
Food microbiology
Milk Microbiology
Industry Microbiology
Medical Microbiology
Geomicrobiology
Biotechnology
1 Air Microbiology
Micro-organism spread through air from one place to another.The micro-organism are
present everywhere in nature and the micro-organism present in air are responsible for
contamination of food or transmission of disease.The diseases such as
tuberculosis,Influenza , and some plant and animal fungal disease etc spread via air.So
it is important to study specific area for controlling and preventing the spread of some
microbes and this all studies related air and microbes is carried out in this branch.

2.Water Microbiology
Water is the most important thing that is required for a life form to survive.So the water
used should pure ,free of chemicals as well as free from disease causing
organisms.Their are Municipal water purification units that are used to purify water and
this quality of water is checked by examination of water.Water microbiology is used here
to check whether the water is potable or not.Supply of good quality of water is very
important as water can be a source for transmission of various disease.

3.Sewage Microbiology
Sewage water is the used water of the community.This sewage water contain different
chemicals as well as pathogenic or non-pathogenic micro-organism.If the sewage water
is kept untreated before disposal it can cause harm to the environment as well as any
life form.In sewage microbiology the sewage water is treated by use of some
techniques,chemicals and some useful bacteria.

4.Soil Microbiology
Soil is supposed to be source of many micro-organism.Study of micro-organism present
is soil is called as soil microbiology.The soil becomes fertile if their are useful micro-
organism present in soil.These micro-organism involve transformation of elements
important for growth of crops as well as degradation of organic matter to simple
form.The bacteria also help in fixation of atmospheric nitrogen for growth of plants.The
soil is a major source of antibiotic producing micro-organism.In soil we can find variety
of micro-organism like bacteria,fungi,viruses and protozoa.Thus study of soil
microbiology is very important.
5.Food Microbiology
Food microbiology is a important branch as it deals with study of association of micro-
organism with food.Micro-organism deal with food in two ways one it can spoil the food
and spread the infection or disease.Secondly it can used some substrate and convert
into a product that is fermentation. Micro-organism can ferment the substrate and form
the product like curd, Idli ,Cheese, Butter etc.If the quality of food is not check properly it
may result in spread of food born diseases.So the study related fermentation and
quality check of food is important

6.Milk Microbiology
Milk is a rich and one of the best food and so their are chances of contamination of
milk.If the milk get contaminated their are great chances of spoilage of milk.Milk is used
on large scale in dairy industry where various products like cheese,butter,ghee,curd are
prepared.Useful bacterial present in milk helps in preparation of various milk product
where as harmful bacteria can spoil everything.The food born diseases can spread
through milk if it is not sterilised properly.So it is important to study sterilization of
milk,preparation of various milk product as well as prevention of milk born diseases.

7.Industrial Microbiology
Industrial microbiology is a branch of microbiology where large amount of substrate are
converted to economically important product by use of micro-organism.Micro-organism
are used in many industries on large scale for production of various product like
antibiotics,beverages,Vaccines,proteins as well as food industries.Therefore the study
of such organism that are be useful in industries for production of economically
important product is very important

8.Medical Microbiology
In nature their are many useful micro-organism as well as many harmful micro-
organism.Harmful in sense disease causing micro-organism.In this branch the study is
carried out on the causative agent of disease, Identification,pathogenecity, prevention
and cure of disease.It also deals with antibiotics.

9.Geomicrobiology
This branch of microbiology studies the relation of microbes with some geological
substances like formation of coal,mineral and gas formation as well as recovery of
minerals from low grade ores.It also helps in degradation of hydrocarbon accumulated
in nature in form of pollutants.Micro-organism are used for removal of oil spills in the
ocean by degradation of hydrocarbon and save the aquatic life near the oil spill.

10.Biotechnology
Biotechnology is a branch of biology that deals with the study of technology and any life
form like microbes,plants animals in the sense to improve quality of life and develop
new technology.It involves techniques like plant tissue culture ,Animal tissue
culture,Recombinant DNA technology And genetic modification of organism.

Microbiology
Microbiology is the study of microscopic organisms, such as bacteria, viruses, archaea,
fungi and protozoa. This discipline includes fundamental research on the biochemistry,
physiology, cell biology, ecology, evolution and clinical aspects of microorganisms,
including the host response to these agents.

Branches of Microbiology. (2017, January 13). Retrieved November 11, 2019, from General
Microscience: http://www.generalmicroscience.com/microbiology/branches-of-microbiology/

Microbiology. (n.d.). Retrieved November 11, 2019, from Nature.com:

https://www.nature.com/subjects/microbiology