Global population growth demands more crop yield production inorder to accomplish the increased food requirement. A healthy agricultural production depends on various factors such as soil quality, water, fertilizers, and more. To increase crop production and make it rapid, farmers often use chemical fertilizers which in return pose threats to our ecosystem such as climate change, soil erosion, and biodiversity loss. In order to overcome these issues, utilization of biofertilizers is encouraged.
Biofertilizers help to restore the fertility of the soil. Prolonged use of chemical fertilizers degrades the soil which affects the quality crop yield. With the use of biofertilizers, farmers can enhance the water holding capacity of the soil and add essential nutrients such as nitrogen, vitamins and proteins to the soil. This way crop yield can be improved naturally.
What Is A Biofertilizer?
Biofertilizers are eco-friendly fertilizers that have microorganisms containing substances, when added to the soil, it enhances soil fertility and promotes plant growth. It can be defined as formulations consisting of living microbial cells, either a single strain or multiple strains i.e. mixed or consortium, that provides completely organic and improved plant production by increasing nutrient availability of the soil.
It contains various microbes that have the capacity to enhance plant nutrient uptake by colonizing the rhizosphere and make the nutrients easily accessible to plant root hairs. These are well known for their cost effectiveness, environment-friendly nature, and composition. Biofertilizers are effective alternatives to the hazardous synthetic or chemical fertilizers.
They are the natural form of fertilizers and widely used in agriculture for two main purposes. The first is for soil treatment, biofertilizers can be used to treat soil since they restore the soil’s original fertility. This is achieved by mixing bio fertilizers with some compost fertilizer. Second major application of bio fertilizers is for seed treatment. In this treatment, seeds are soaked in a mixture of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers.
Types Of Biofertilizers
Biofertilizers have very different kinds of living organisms based on bacteria and fungi. On that basis its broad segment classification is as discussed below.
1.Bio NPK
Bio NPK is a combination of three different types of bacteria. Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium. NPK biofertilizer boosts nitrogen uptake while also producing plant growth hormones and vitamins. It increases the availability of micronutrients such as Mn, Mg, Fe, Mo, B, Zn, and Cu from the soil to the plant, resulting in faster root growth, and nutrients uptake, and increased tolerance to diseases/drought.
2.Acetobacter
Acetobacter is a nitrogen-fixing bacteria based biofertilizer and is widely used for sugar-producing crops. It forms colonies inside the crop tissues and provides sufficient nitrogen in crops. Acetobacter also produces growth hormones that can support roots & shoot growth.
3.Azospirillum
This is also a type of Nitrogen-fixing bio-inoculant and is utilized as a biofertilizer. Azospirillum helps to produce a large number of biologically active substances such as vitamins, nicotinic acid, indole acetic acids, and gibberellins. It provides stimulant plant growth and helps in better germination.
4.Mycorrhiza
It is a kind of fungus used in crops as a biofertilizer. Mycorrhiza fungi form a symbiotic relationship with plant roots which helps to increase the absorption of phosphor, water, and minerals from the soil. Mycorrhiza also restores original soil fertility and protects from diseases causing organisms to the roots.
5.Phosphate Solubilizing Bacteria
Phosphate solubilizing bacteria is a biofertilizer type that is capable of solubilizing inorganic phosphate from insoluble components. It is widely used for plant growth and nutrient use efficiency. In such types of biofertilizers soil microbes play an important role in regulating the decomposition dynamics of organic matter and the availability of plant nutrients such as nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), and other nutrients.
6.Potassium Solubilizing Bacteria
Potassium soluble bacteria is a biofertilizer that assists in the formation of mono acids and proteins, these are produced by ammonium ions, which are then absorbed by the root from the soil. These fertilizers also help plants to take up other elements that activate several enzymes.
Conclusively, Biofertilizers play a major role in the agriculture industry. It provides many benefits such as improvement in soil texture and enhances crop production. Its utilization helps to prevent infections from flourishing. It mitigates environmental risks associated with chemical fertilizers and offers natural healthy plant products. With increase in its demand, biofertilizer companies are focusing on research to provide more suitable and cost effective eco friendly fertilizers.
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