Question

What are the potential of biocontrol pontenials for tetrahymena vorax ?

Answer 1

Tetrahymena vorax is a protozoan found in fresh waters. It can exist as microstome and macrostome which can even prey upon ciliates and bacteria. The applications of tetrahymena vorax in biocontrol include:

i. They are capable of phagocytosing selective aquatic flora and thus maintain required flora

ii. They help in regaining balance in the aquatic ecosystem by eliminating harmful and unwanted pathogenic aquatic microorganisms

iii. They are helpful in aquatic farming where microbial infections can be removed by using Tetrahymena vorax as biocontrol agent

iv. T.vorax is being investigated for molecular modelling and re-engineering its cells are being studied for chemical clean up which occurs due to oil spills, pollution etc

v. They are being investigated for revitalization of ecosystem, by cleaning up debris and unwanted organisms

vi. They can maintain natural environmental force to build the microbial colonies after mass clean up of oceans, rivers and streams

vii. Various research works in progress to identify and isolate the genes which are responsible for cellular differentiation in T. vorax and this can still enhance the biocontrol potential of T.vorax in eliminating wide spectrum of organisms which are notorious and harmful.