Biofertilizers General Overview – Imaluop

Now we are going to discuss biofertilizers and its various important topic to know for your general understanding on biofertilizers in biofertilizers general overview in which we will discuss about its importance, use and types of biofertilizers. 

What is Biofertilizers: 

Biofertilizers are organic mixtures which are rich in mycorrhizal fungi, which absorb minerals from the surface of the plant and help the plant to grow, blue green algae who are able to fix atmospheric nitrogen into soil which is a great source of nitrogen for growth of the plant.

Specially the soil where mineral nutrition is not present in sufficient amount there mycorrhizal fungi are very helpful because they are able to absorb mineral nutrients from large range upto where the plant roots are not able to reach. 

Plant can not utilise the atmospheric nitrogen but the blue green algae and other nitrogen fixing bacteria present in fertilizers is very useful to bind the atmospheric nitrogen into the soil in different nitrogen compounds so biofertilizers help the plant to absorb mineral nutrients and atmospheric nitrogen. 

Different Types of Biofertilizers: 

Now we will discuss different types of biofertilizers used for improvement of soil fertility for plant growth. 

Loose Association of Nitrogen Fixing Bacteria: 

Some nitrogen fixing bacteria present in soil loosely but they do not make any direct association with the plant for example Azospirillum is a bacteria present in soil which is present around the root of higher plants and helps to bind atmospheric nitrogen into the soil.

The nitrogen fixing bacteria present take food from the plant exudates present in soil and in return they help to supply nitrogen compounds to the plant. 

Symbiotic Nitrogen Fixing Bacteria: 

In most of the leguminous plants the blue green algae form symbiotic association in their root nodule and bind the atmospheric nitrogen into soil and in return they get food from the plant.

For example Rhizobium is a famous symbiotic nitrogen fixing bacteria which makes symbiotic association with the root nodule of leguminous plants and it is also used as biofertilizers. 

Free Living Soil Nitrogen Fixing Bacteria: 

Clostridium beijerinckii is a free living bacteria present in soil which fix nitrogen into soil which is used for increasing plant growth and improving soil fertility Azotobacter is also a free living soil nitrogen fixing bacteria.  

Symbiotic Nitrogen Fixing Cyanobacteria: 

Blue green algae is a famous group of bacteria due to their capacity of nitrogen fixing into soil and they form symbiotic association with higher plants to bind the atmospheric nitrogen into soil and they present in the roots of the plant.

For example Anabaena is a nitrogen fixing bacteria which is present in the leaves cavities of the fern and they bind the atmospheric nitrogen into soil which is beneficial for plant growth.

In most of the cases the fern are planted in the field to get the nitrogen rich soil which increases the plant growth and improves the soil fertility. 

Importance of Biofertilizers: 

• Biofertilizers are helpful for improving the soil texture and it improves the soil fertility which results in more preference to biofertilizers over chemical fertilizers. 
• The microorganisms present in fertilizers do not allow to grow the other pathogenic microorganisms very much so biofertilizers are useful to check different pathogens in soil. 
• In biofertilizers we do not use harmful chemicals like chemical fertilizers do they do not cause damage to our environment so they are eco-friendly and they are available naturally so they are also cost effective.   
• Biofertilizers also help to get phosphorus for plant growth in the soil because the microorganisms present in soil convert the insoluble phosphorus into soluble phosphorus for plant growth. 

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