The important characteristic features of the Azotobacter are:
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Azotobacter is a rod shaped bacteria with varying cell size and shape.
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The motility of the bacteria is with the help of peritrichous flagella.
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The genus Azotobacter is chemo organotrophs they are capable of using up the sugars, salts and organic acids for their growth.
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When the Azotobacter bacteria grow on sugars it produces certain extracellular polysaccharide (EPS).
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Under conditions of limiting nutrients, the organism forms resting structures known as the Cysts. The cysts are encapsulated with the desiccation resistant coat.
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The encysted cells of bacteria have the ability to withstand the adverse conditions such as dessication, sonic treatment and ultra violet radiations which cannot be tolerated by the vegetative cells.
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The Azotobacter can be isolated from the soil by different methods such as soil paste, nutrient solution and Agar medium.
