Question

Microbes can be used to decrease the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Explain how this can be accomplished.

Answer 1

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Microbes can be used to decrease the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Explain how this can be accomplished.

Answer

Microbes play vital role in the field of organic farming and bio- fertilizers which is made without the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides.

Bio-fertilizers are living micro-organisms which help to increase the fertility of soil. It involves the selection of beneficial micro-organisms that help in improving plant growth through the supply of plant nutrients.

Bio-fertilizers are spread on seeds, roots, or soil to mobilize the availability of nutrients. Thus, they are extremely beneficial in enriching the soil with organic nutrients.

Many species of mirco-organisms like bacteria , fungi and cyanobacteria have the ability to enrich the nutrient quality of the soil and they are cost effective and eco-friendly

Example

1. Rhizobium is a symbiotic bacteria found in the root nodules of leguminous plants. Rhizobium bacteria on the root of the leguminous plants increase the Nitrogen level of the soil which necessary for various metabolic processes
2. Azotobacter and Azospirillum are free living bacteria that live in the soil and fix atmospheric nitrogen into organic forms. Azotobacter can be used with crops like wheat, maize, mustard, cotton, potato and other vegetable crops. Azospirillum inoculations are recommended mainly for sorghum, millets, maize, sugarcane and wheat
3. Anabena, Nostoc and Oscillitoria are examples of nitrogen-fixing cyanobacteria.
4. Symbiotic association of fungi with angiospermic plants (mycorrhiza) also increase the fertility of the soil.
5. Cyanobactera like Nostoc, Anabaena found in aquatic and terrestrial environment fix atmospheric nitrogen. In paddy fields, this acts as an important bio fertilizer.
6. Blue green algae also add organic matter to the soil and increase the fertility.
7. Anabaena in involvement with water fern Azolla involve nitrogen up to 60 kg/ha/season and also enchance soils with organic matter