Fertilizers play a very important role in the growth of plants. There are varieties of fertilizers available in the market, nitrogen fertilizers, potassium fertilizers, phosphorus fertilizers, micronutrient fertilizers and many more. As we are slightly shifting towards organic farming, it is also important to know about organic fertilizers. Understanding about organic fertilizer is of major importance in Organic farming.
Let’s move forward to know more about Organic or Bio-fertilizers and why we need to use them.
What is Bio-Fertilizer?
Bio-fertilizers are substances that contain microbes and helps in encouraging the growth of crops. They function by increasing the supply of essential nutrients to the plants. Bio-fertilizers include living micro-organisms such as bacteria, fungi etc. in them which withdraw minerals from the soil and supply it to the crops. In short, Bio-fertilizers colonize the rhizosphere of the plant or crop.
Bio-fertilizers do not contain any chemical and therefore are environment friendly. They are less harmful for the soil and cause less pollution.
Types of Bio-fertilizers
Bacteria- These are for fixing nitrogen content in plants or crops. These bacteria are free living in the soil or symbiotic or associative symbiotic. These are able to colonize legume roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen content symbiotically. In this, nodules are formed on roots by the association of bacterium with the roots of plants. And it is beneficial for plants.
Some examples of this type of bio-fertilizer are- Rhizobium, Azosipirillum, Azotobacter, etc.
Fungi- Symbiotic association takes place between plants and fungi. These associations are known as “mycorrhizae”. In this association, fungus absorbs phosphorus from soil and supply it to the plant.
Some examples of this type of bio-fertilizer are- Penicilliumsp, Aspergillus awamori, etc.
Cyanobacteria- These bio-fertilizers also helps in promoting nitrogen level. These are blue-green bacteria found in water and on land.
Some examples of this type of bio-fertilizers are- Oscillatoria, Nostoc, Anabaena etc.
Synthetic fertilizer vs Bio-fertilizer
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Bio-fertilizers add natural nutrients to the soil, increases its organic matter and improves tilth, increase water holding capacity and, reduce problems of erosion from water and wind and supply nutrients to the soil slowly. On the other hand, Synthetic fertilizers contain chemicals and have high acid content and with the time, may change fertility of soil.
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Bio-fertilizers are economic if talking about per pound in compare to synthetic fertilizers, but overall maybe expensive.
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Bio-fertilizers are derived from living things whereas synthetic fertilizers are made from synthetic material.
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Risk of plant diseases is reduced by the use of bio-fertilizers in compare to synthetic fertilizers.
A step towards Organic farming
Bio-fertilizers are commercially available in market for farmers. These fertilizers support in maintaining mineral content of the soil. As, these fertilizers are chemical free, so promotes plant growth without disturbing the quality of soil and without spreading any pollution.
Bio-fertilizers can be used for soil treatment, seedling root dip and seed treatment without affecting health of seed and soil.
Using bio-fertilizers can prove as a major step towards the way to organic farming. As we have already seen some benefits of bio-fertilizers over synthetic ones and the most important thing to remember, bio-fertilizers harm neither soil nor environment and what can be better than this for a farmer. And crops cultivated using bio-fertilizers are healthier in comparison to that of cultivated using synthetic fertilizers.
So overall, for both farmer and consumers’ benefit, the use of organic fertilizer can be fruitful. And it will create a path to Happy Farmers and Happy Country...!!
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References
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