Biological fertilizer consisting of living microorganisms or latent cells of efficient strains of microbes, which aid plants in gaining nutrients through their interaction in the rhizosphere when seeds are sown.

1. Biofertilizers In
Agriculture, Types,
Advantage
Introduction Of
Biofertilizers

2. Natural fertilizers, or biofertilizers, are microbes
that live alone or in combination with bacteria,
algae, and fungi and improve the availability of
nutrients to plants. Biofertilizers play a particularly
important role in agriculture, especially in light of
the rising costs of chemical fertilizers and their
detrimental effects on soil health. When applied to
seeds, plant surfaces, or soil, it contains living
microorganisms that colonize the rhizosphere or
plant interior and increase the supply or availability
of nutrients, thus promoting the growth and
development of plants.

3. Types of Biofertilizers
Their association with many microorganisms and crop plants is being exploited in
the production of bio fertilizers. Though, they can be grouped in different ways
depending on their nature and function.
The types of biofertilizers include;
• Bio compost
• Tricho card
• Rhizobium
• Azotobacter
• Azospirillum
• Azolla

4. Benefits of Biofertilizers
Some of the benefits associated with biofertilizers include;
1. Biofertilizers are environmentally friendly and also cost-effective.
2. Their use enriches the soil and improves the quality of the soil over time.
3. Although they do not show immediate results, the results shown over time
are spectacular.
4. These fertilizers use environmental nitrogen and make them available directly
to plants.
5. They increase soil phosphorus content by releasing soluble and unavailable
phosphorus.
6. Biofertilizers improve root proliferation due to the growth of hormones.
7. Microorganisms convert complex nutrients into simple nutrients for the
availability of plants.
8. Biological fertilizers contain microorganisms that promote the proper supply
of nutrients and ensure proper growth.
9. They help increase crop yield by 10-25%.
10. Biofertilizers can protect plants to a certain extent from soil-borne diseases.
11. Biofertilizers are living microorganisms of bacterial, fungal, and algae origin.
Their method is different and can be applied individually or in combination.