ABSTRACT
Micro-organisms are extremely versatile and also very variable in their modes of nutrition. When an organism is first placed into culture it takes time to adapt to those conditions. Once an organism has been isolated into culture, it is then possible to place limitations on that culture (e.g. omitting particular nutrients or altering the formulations) in order to determine specific requirements and understand the patterns of metabolism for that particular isolate. A huge number of recipes exist for culture media designed for the growth of micro-organisms. This chapter considers the principles and approaches to cultivation. It must, however, be remembered that for some organisms it is essential to use specialist methods and published procedures should be consulted. In order to grow and develop, microbes require an energy source, a supply of carbon and other appropriate elements in both a usable form and at an appropriate concentration.
