Agro and industrial wastes are rich in bioactive compounds. These wastes can be used as an alternate source for the production of different valuable products as the raw material in various industries. The use of agro-industrial wastes as raw materials can help to reduce the production cost and also reduce the pollution load from the environment. Agro-industrial wastes are used for manufacturing of enzymes, biofertilizer, biofuel, antibiotics, and other chemicals through solid state fermentation (SSF). A variety of microorganisms are used for the production of these valuable products through SSF processes. This reviewed work was aimed at bioconversion of agricultural and industrial wastes to generate valuable products.

The last 5-10 years has witness a new proven field of research where explanation have been provided to non-cultured microbes. This uncultured microorganisms forms the major group of organisms found in most environment of the Earth. The science of metagenomics makes it possible to investigate resources which can be used to develop new enzymes, genes and several chemical compounds for use in biotechnology. Studies of microorganisms in pure laboratory culture for over a century have led to significant advances into microbial genetics and physiology, biotechnology and molecular biology. The rapid advancement in sequencing technology has brought about drastic reduction cost of sequencing thereby leading to increasing sequencing project been undertaken. This advancement has provided the privilege for the continual use of this sequencing technology to monitor microbes in the environment which before now are not available. While metagenomic applications have been used to consistently have a better understanding of ecology and microbial diversity, it is pertinent to note that its application in environmental monitoring and application is commonly increasing and has been one of the research areas in focus. To this end this article seek to provide a general overview of what metagenmics is, its principle and application in hydrocarbon resource management.

Caves are natural aperture and oligotrophic extreme environment for psychrophilic and psychrotolerant microorganisms. Microorganisms found in caves can be indigenous to the caves or introduced by humans, animals, water flow and wind action. Group of microorganisms found in caves are bacteria, fungi, protozoa, algae and viruses. However, bacteria and fungi are the dominant microorganisms. Cave microorganisms are metabolically diverse and are able to acquire energy independently through photoautotrophic, chemoautotrophic or heterotrophic activities. Different microbial groups also interact in the formation of cave and as part of the biogeochemical cycling of elements. Cave microbiology has allowed the detection of microorganisms with the potentials to produce different biomolecules for industrial, pharmaceutical, environmental and biotechnological purposes.