Chapter 2 - Application of microbial inoculants as an alternative to chemical products for decomposition of organic wastes

Abstract

Decomposition of agricultural wastes is a natural degradation process by microorganisms. Various studies involving microbial inoculants aim to improve agricultural processes such as composting that directly beneficially applied to soils as organic fertilizers. In agriculture, the use of microbial inoculants for various crops is prevalent worldwide. In the last few decades, impressive progress has been made in the use of inoculants for production and marketing. Today, farmers are more aware of the use of microbial inoculants mainly because they improve yields at a lower cost than do chemical fertilizers. In more sustainable agriculture, decomposition of organic wastes by microbial inoculants also helps reduce the environmental effects caused by agricultural chemicals. This chapter focuses on microbial inoculant applications as an alternative approach to reducing the use of chemical-based fertilizers for organic waste decomposition and also as a tool to improve plant growth and yield.