Fertilizers play an important role in enhancing crop productivity. However, chemical fertilizers are expensive, non-eco-friendly, cause eutrophication, reduce organic matter and micro biotic activity in soil and are hazardous to health( such as ammonium nitrate) . The excessive use of chemical fertilizers changed the microbial community of soil and reduced crop productivity of soil due to improper management of soil.
Soil is important resource for agricultural activities and reservoir for microbial community. Thus, it may be assumed that proper maintenance of soil is required for optimized crop production. In this context biofertilizers including PGPR have been recognized as an alternate and ecofriendly approach to enhance the fertility of soil and crop productivity .Therefore, the use of biofertilizers is desirable as they are natural, biodegradable, organic and more cost-effective than chemical fertilizers. Biofertilizers consist of plant remains, organic matter and some special class of micro-organisms. Biofertilizers help to increase quality of the soil by providing nutrients and natural environment in the rhizosphere. The micro-organisms present in biofertilizers are important because they help to supply nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus and other nutrients required for benefit of the plants. Most biofertilizers also secrete hormones like auxins, cytokinin, biotins and vitamins which are essential for plant growth. Biofertilizers give protection to plant by secreting antibiotics which are effective against many plant pathogens. Biofertilizers also protect plant from salinity and drought stress. Biofertilizers are inexpensive and safe inputs which provide a wide scope for research in the areas of organic farming and development of stress-free environment. Overall, the significant role of biofertilizers in plant growth productivity and protection against some stresses makes them a vital and powerful tool for organic and sustainable agriculture. This blog describes various kinds of biofertilizers and their impact on different crops. The various biofertilizers which are described in this context are Azotobacter, Azospirillum, Rhizobium, Blue green algae, phosphorus and potassium solubilizing micro-organisms and Mycorrhizae. Vermicomposting is also a way in biofertilizer system. Microbial content of biofertilizers plays a key role in conversion of plant material and unavailable form of nutrients into available form. Including this, microbial populations play a key role in the supply of nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus and Sulphur to the plants by several mechanisms, Microbial culture also helps to control plant diseases, degradation of pesticides and other degradable materials, production of plant growth stimulators like plant hormone, auxin and cytokinin, and protection against abiotic and biotic stress.
by Darshan Dutta
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