BIOFERTILIZERS- A BRIEF INSIGHT

Abstract

Chemical fertilizers are more commonly used for crop production nowadays, which has a negative impact on soil and environmental quality. The rising use of chemical inputs in agricultural production systems harmed the sustainability of agricultural crop production systems, raised cultivation costs, and reduced partial factor productivity, making preserving global food security and environmental quality a difficult task. Increasing usage of commercial agrochemicals over the previous century led in bioaccumulation of various pollutants in agricultural soils and surrounding water bodies. Various scientists have observed that the constant and indiscriminate use of primary nutrients (N, P, and K) has resulted in numerous micro and secondary nutrient shortage as well as a negative impact on soil health. Microorganisms can play a variety of roles in organic farming's long-term sustainability. According to the literature, using nitrogenous fertilizers under certain meteorological conditions might result in the release of nitrous oxide (N2O), which contribute to the greenhouse effect and causes environmental imbalances. As a result, biofertilizers microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi, and algae have been proposed as potential solutions for large-scale agricultural practices that are not only ecological, ecofriendly, and cost-effective, but also sustain soil structure and biodiversity. Microbes as biofertilizers are being investigated as an alternative to chemical fertilizers in the agricultural industry because of their vast potential for improving crop yield and food safety.