Biofertilizers

Biofertilizers are biologically active substances that help in enriching the soil’s fertility. Biofertilizers are microbes or microbial products. It helps to reduce the use of chemical fertilizers. Reducing the use of chemical fertilizers from the environment biofertilizers helps to protect the ecosystem. Biofertilizers are economical, effective, and renewable sources of plant nutrients.

What is Biofertilizer?

Biofertilizers are microbes or microbial products that improve plant growth and yield by supplying essential nutrients to the plant. Unlike chemical fertilizers, which are synthetic and often toxic, biofertilizers are made up of living microorganisms that are either naturally occurring or specially selected for their beneficial properties. These microbes have a symbiotic relationship with the plant, and they provide nutrients in a form that the plant can absorb. Biofertilizers mostly include living organisms which include mycorrhizal fungi, blue-green algae, and bacteria.

Features of Biofertilizers

Some of the important key features of the biofertilizers are;

1. Biofertilizers are mainly microbes like bacteria, fungi, algae, etc.
2. They help the soil to become nutrient-rich.
3. The organisms involved are mostly responsible for nutrient cycling.
4. Biofertilizers also include biological substances obtained from various organisms.
5. It does not cause toxicity to soil and water bodies.
6. It helps in organic farming.

Types of Biofertilizers

Some of the common types of organic biofertilizers are;

Loose Association of Nitrogen-Fixing Bacteria

Nitrogen-fixing bacteria loosely associate with plant roots, using them for food and shelter. Examples include Azotobacter, Beijerinckia, and Clostridium. This process converts atmospheric nitrogen (N₂) into ammonia (NH₃), which can then be converted into nitrates (NO₃^–) that can be used by plants, improving soil fertility and increasing crop yields.

Symbiotic Nitrogen-Fixing Cyanobacteria

Symbiotic cyanobacteria like Nostoc and Anabaena fix atmospheric nitrogen and have symbiotic relationship with plants like legumes, ferns, and mosses. The plant provides the bacteria with carbon and other nutrients, while the bacteria provide the plant with nitrogen. This relationship is crucial for both the plant and the bacteria, as it helps the plant to obtain the nitrogen it needs for growth, while also providing the bacteria with the resources they need to survive.

Free-Living Nitrogen-Fixing Bacteria

Free-living nitrogen-fixing bacteria like Azotobacter, Clostridium, and Klebsiella convert atmospheric nitrogen into a form that plants and many other organisms can use by the process of nitrogen fixation. This helps maintain the nitrogen balance in ecosystems and improve crop yields.

Symbiotic Nitrogen-Fixing Bacteria

Plants have a beneficial relationship with symbiotic nitrogen-fixing bacteria like Rhizobia and Bradyrhizobium. These bacteria are found in the root nodules of legume plants and turn nitrogen in the air into a nutrient that the plant can use. In return, the plant provides the bacteria with carbon and other nutrients. This relationship is great for plants growing in nitrogen-poor soil, improves soil quality, and reduces the need for nitrogen fertilizer.

Components of Biofertilizer

Following are the components of biofertilizers are:

Bio Compost

Biocompost is a nutrient-rich product made from the digestion of organic matter through an anaerobic process by microorganisms like bacteria, fungi, and actinomycetes. It improves soil fertility, structure, and water-holding capacity while releasing plant nutrients and improving soil health. However, over-fertilization and contamination must be avoided by choosing high-quality compost.

Tricho-Card

Tricho-Card is a blend of beneficial microbes, including Trichoderma fungi that improve plant growth, suppress plant diseases, improve root development, and enhance nutrient availability in soil. It’s easy to use, safe for the environment, and can increase crop yields while reducing reliance on chemicals.

Azotobacter

Azotobacter is a type of nitrogen-fixing bacteria that improves soil fertility, supports plant growth, and increases yield. It’s added to soil in powder or liquid form, and mixed with water before application. Benefits include increased crop yields, reduced reliance on chemical fertilizers, and safety for humans, animals, and the environment.

Phosphorus

Phosphorus is an essential nutrient for plant growth and soil fertility. Biofertilizers containing it can enhance plant processes and increase crop yields. The benefits include improved water-holding capacity, soil fertility, and reduced reliance on chemical fertilizers.

Vermicompost

Vermicompost is an organic plant fertilizer made by earthworms digesting organic matter. It’s rich in nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and helpful microorganisms, improving soil fertility and crop yields. It’s eco-friendly and free of synthetic chemicals. It is a very environmentally friendly option.

Applications of Biofertilizers

Following are some of the common applications of biofertilizers;

1. Seed treatment: Biofertilizers can be applied to seeds before planting to provide early access to essential nutrients and establish healthy root systems.
2. Soil drench: Biofertilizers can be applied directly to the soil around the base of the plant, where they can be absorbed by the roots to be absorbed easily.
3. Foliar spray: Biofertilizers can be sprayed on plant leaves for quick and efficient nutrient absorption, especially for crops with larger leaves. It’s also useful for stressed crops to aid in quick recovery.
4. Irrigation water: Biofertilizers added to irrigation water can provide essential nutrients directly to the plant roots.
5. Composting: Biofertilizers can enhance compost decomposition and increase nutrient content. Adding biofertilizers to compost piles speeds up decomposition and boosts nutrient availability for plants.
6. Intercropping: Biofertilizers can increase the productivity of intercropping systems by promoting the growth of multiple crops as they enriches the soil with nitrogen.
7. Crop rotation: Biofertilizers maintain soil health and fertility in crop rotation systems by inoculating the soil with useful microbes.
8. Greenhouse cultivation: Biofertilizers include beneficial microorganisms that can be used in greenhouse cultivation to improve soil health and fertility, resulting in stronger, healthier plants that are more resistant to disease and pests.
9. Reforestation: Biofertilizers aid reforestation by improving soil health and fertility with the help of useful microbes.
10. Urban agriculture: Biofertilizers can improve crop growth and soil health in urban agriculture by reducing the need of synthetic fertilizers.

Benefits of using Biofertilizers

Some of the important benefits of biofertilizers are;

1. They are eco-friendly and made of living microorganisms.
2. They help in reducing the risk of soil and water pollution
3. The help to improve soil fertility.
4. They are cost-effective alternatives to chemical fertilizers that can be produced locally.
5. They improve soil fertility, reduce reliance on synthetic fertilizers, and promote sustainable agriculture, and soil productivity.
6. They provide essential nutrients in a form that can be easily absorbed thus improving the yield.
7. They can enhance soil health by promoting a diverse community of microorganisms and increasing organic matter content.

Disadvantages of Biofertilizers

Some of the common disadvantages of using biofertilizers are;

1. Microbial growth and multiplication takes time so biofertilizers have slow action.
2. They are host specific and can be beneficial for certain types of crops.
3. They may not work well in extreme temperatures, pH levels, and moisture conditions.
4. They have a limited shelf life and must be stored in proper conditions to maintain their effectiveness.
5. The introduced microbes may compete with native soil microbes for nutrients and other resources, leading to a reduction in their effectiveness.
6. They can be expensive to produce and distribute, which can make them less accessible to farmers in developing countries.
7. There is a lack of standardization in the production and labeling of biofertilizers, which can lead to quality control issues and inconsistent results.

Types of microbes used as Biofertilizers

The most common types of microbes used as biofertilizers are;

1. Rhizobia: Rhizobia are bacteria that live in nodules on legume plant roots. They convert atmospheric nitrogen into a form the plant can use, which improves soil fertility and reduces the need for synthetic nitrogen fertilizers.
2. Azotobacter: Azotobacter is a nitrogen-fixing bacteria found in soil, water, and plant surfaces. It can provide nitrogen to non-legume crops and produce plant growth-promoting compounds.
3. Azospirillum: Azospirillum is a bacterium that promotes plant growth by fixing atmospheric nitrogen and enhancing root development. It’s often used with other biofertilizers to improve soil fertility.
4. Mycorrhizae: Mycorrhizae is a symbiotic association between fungi and plant roots that improves the plant’s nutrient and water absorption. It also helps to improve soil structure, suppress plant diseases, and increase plant growth.
5. Bacillus subtilis: Bacillus subtilis is a soil bacterium that improves soil structure, suppresses plant diseases, and boosts plant growth by producing antibiotics and growth-promoting compounds.
6. Pseudomonas fluorescens: Pseudomonas fluorescens is a bacterium that can enhance plant growth and suppress diseases by producing antibiotics and growth-promoting compounds like hormones and vitamins.
7. Trichoderma: Trichoderma is a soil fungus that suppresses plant diseases, improves soil fertility, and promotes plant growth by producing antibiotics and releasing nutrients.

FAQs on Biofertilizers

1. What do You Understand by Biofertilizers?

Biofertilizers are biological fertilizers that includes live microorganisms or microbial products that are used to improve soil fertility and plant growth. 

2. What are the Types of Biofertilizers?

The different types of microbes used as biofertilizers include bacterial bio-fertilizers like Rhizobia, Acetobacter, Azospirillum, Bacillus subtilis, Pseudomonas fluorescens, etc. Fungal species like Mycorrhizae, Trichoderma, etc. Algal species like Blue-green algae, Azolla, etc.

3. What is the Main Function of Biofertilizer?

Biofertilizers change atmospheric nitrogen into ammonia, which is essential for the growth of plant, they also enriches the soil of essential nutrients that enriches the quality of the soil.

help

4. How are Biofertilizers Made?

Biofertilizers are made by isolating targeted microbial species in their ideal culture. These isolated microbes are then cultivated and multiplied to a huge number for use.

5. What is the Difference Between Fertilizers and Biofertilizers?

Fertilizers are chemical substances that are made synthetically in industries whereas biofertilizers are biological products like microbes and their components.