BIOFERTILIZERS, SOURCES AND
ROLES IN AGROFORESTRY
BY
TARH JACQUELINE E.
INTRODUCTION
Biofertilizers are products containing living cells of microorganisms.
when applied to seed plant surfaces or soil, colonize the rhizosphere
or the interior of the plants.
They promote growth by converting nitrogen and phosphorus from
unavailable to available form through nitrogen fixation and
solubilization of rock phosphate .
They play key role in productivity and sustainability of soil, protect the
environment as eco-friendly, cost effective and renewable source of
plant nutrients to supplement chemical fertilizers in sustainable
agricultural system.
They suppress pathogens by antibiotics, parasitism, competition for
nutrients etc. They promote plant growth and improve host
resistance to both biotic and abiotic stresses
BIOFERTILIZER PRODUCTION
Active organisms whether organic acid
bacteria or nitrogen fixing bacteria or the
combination must be chosen
Then targeted microbes isolated and selected
The method of propagation must also be
selected
Testing of the carrier material and phenotype
(Itelima et al., 2018).
REQUIREMENTS
Microorganism used in Biofertilization are nitrogen
fixer (N-fixer), potassium solubilizer (P-solubilizer),
phosphor- microorganisms or with the combination of
molds or fungi.
While rhizobium, blue green algae and Azolla are crop
specific, bio-inoculants like Azotobacter, azospirillium,
phosphorus solubilizing bacteria, vesicular arbuscular
mycorrhiza could be regarded as broad spectrum
biofertilizers
The example of potassium solubilizer is Bacillus
mucilaginous while for P-solubilizer are Bacillus megaterium,
Bacillus circulans, Bacillus subtilis. Pseudomonas straita etc
REQUIREMENTS CONT.
NITROGEN: Elemental nitrogen that finds its way
into the soil is entirely due to its fixation by free
living bacteria (Azotobacter and Azospirillium), the
blue-green algae and symbionts such as Rhizobium
PHOSPHORUS, Next to nitrogen (N) is Phosporus
which plays an important role in photosynthesis,
energy transfer, signal transduction, macromolecular
biosynthesis and respiration (Seema et al., 2013) and
nitrogen fixation in legumes.
REQUIREMENTS CONT.
POTASSIUM influences Plant effects on water uptake, root growth,
maintenance of turgor, transpiration and stomatal regulation (Santos et al.,
2012).
It enhances the cold endurance of some plants, their resistance to fungal
and bacterial diseases.
It intensifies the synthesis of high molecular carbohydrates in cell walls of
the straw of cereals thicker.
It catalyzes the activities of some enzymes and promoted the synthesis
and accumulation of certain vitamins in plants, essential for the activity of
guard cells, aids in photosynthesis, building up of protein and improving
fruit quality.
Potassium is absorbed by plants in form of potassium ion (k+) which is
insoluble in water. It is added to the soil by fertilizer, decaying organic
matter and wood ash.
INVOLVEMENT OF MICROORGANISMS IN
BIOFERTILIZERS
The phosphor- microorganism mainly bacteria and fungi
solubilize and bring insoluble phosphate in soil using their
secreted organic acids.
Vesicular Arbvascular mycorrhiza fix atmospheric nitrogen
or solubilize phosphorus, decompose organic material or
oxidize sulphur enhanced accumulation of plant nutrients,
stimulate plant growth reduce the severity of diseases
caused by the soil pathogens.
Various plant growth promoting rhizobacteria influence
growth via phosphate solubilization, nutrient uptake
enhancement or plant growth hormone production
MICROBIAL FERTILIZERS
Pseudomonas, Bacillus, micrococcus, Hallobacterium, fusarium, Sclerotium,
Aspergillus and penicillium help solubilization of phosphate.
Aspergillus fumigatus and A. niger, have been found to convert cassava
wastes by the semi-solid fermentation technique to phosphate biofertilizers.
Burkholderia vietnamiensis, produces gluconic and 2-ketogluconic acids
which are involved in phosphate solubilization.
Enterobacter and Burhoideria isolated from the rhizosphere of sunflower
produce siderophores and indolic compounds which can solubilize
phosphate.
Biofertilizer produce plant hormones (indole acetic acid gibberellins and
cytokinins)
A combination of arbuscular mycorrhixal fungi and nitrogen fixing bacteria
helped the legume plants in overcoming drought stress.
Pseudomonas species was found to have positive effect on the seedling
MODE OF ACTION OF BIOFERTILIZERS
Glomus versiforme possesses inorganic phosphate
transporters on its hyphae which help in the direct
absorption of phosphate from the soil and a glutamine
synthase gene found in Glomus intrardice, which
strengthens the possibility of nitrogen metabolism in
fungal hyphae that can be transported later to the plants.
Some plant associated bacteria can also induce
phytohormone synthesis, for example lodge pole pine
when inoculated with Paenibacillus polymyxa had
elevated levels of indole acetic acid in the roots.
MODE OF ACTION CONT.
Rhizobacteria produce indole acitic acid which induces the
production of nitric oxide, which triggers leading to
improved root growth.
Azospirillium secrete gibberellins, ethylene and auxins.
Bioactive ligands called myc factors and Nod factor secreted
by mycorrhiza and rhizobium were perceived by host roots to
trigger the signal transduction pathway, which initiate further
signal transduction pathway through unknown receptors
(SYMRK and Nork) which trigger release of calcium ion in the
cytosol.
Melanosporum possesses one invertase gene, that can
CONCLUSION
Dependence on chemical fertilizers and pesticides has
encouraged the thrilling of industries that are producing life
threatening chemicals and which are not only hazardous for
human consumption but can also disturb the ecological
balance.
Environmental stresses are becoming a major problem and
productivity is declining at an unprecedented rate.
Infact, attention is now shifting from consuming food grown
with chemical fertilizers to food grown with organic fertilizers
because of the harmful effects that these foods have in the
body when consumed.
Biofertilizer can help solve the problem of food need of the
ever increasing global population.
Discussion
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