application of biofertilizers in forest nursery. Different types of biofertilizers and application methods. advantages and disadvantages of biofertilizers.
2. INTRODUCTION
ā¢ A bio fertiliser is a substance which contains living
microorganisms which, when applied to seed, plant surfaces, or
soil, colonizes the rhizosphere or the interior of the plant and
promotes growth by increasing the supply or availability of
primary nutrients to the host plant
ā¢ It provides eco-friendly organic agro-input.
ā¢ It is more cost-effective than chemical fertilizers.
ā¢ Biofertilisers are microbial inoculants supported on carriers.
ā¢ Environmentally sustainable.
ā¢ Economically rewarding.
ā¢ Intellectually stimulating.
3. CONTāD
ā¢ Microbial inoculants that are carrier based
preparation containing benefitial micro
organism in a viable state
ā¢ Designed to improve soil fertility in N and
P
ā¢ Provide growth promoter substances
ā¢ In India first commercial production of
legume rhizobium symbiosis was done in
1956
ā¢ Simply it means technically speaking,
artificially multiplied culture of some soil
micro organism.
4. FACTORS AFFECTING
PERFORMANCE OF BIOFERTILISER
ā¢ Host plant
ā¢ Soil fertility
ā¢ Cropping environment practices
ā¢ Biological
ARBUSCULAR MYCORRHIZA:-
ā¢ Popularly known as VAM
ā¢ Obligatory symbiotic organism
ā¢ Enhances the mobilization of P and uptake
ā¢ AM is highly suitable for nursery based crops like
vegetables, ornamental seedlings and also for tree crops.
ā¢ The term mycorrizae (fungus roots) was coined by Frank, a
German Forest Pathologist in 1885
5. CONTāD
ā¢ Significance of VAM in forestry
ā¢ VAM play key roles in mineral cycling, energy flow and plant succession in
disturbed and undisturbed ecosystems.
ā¢ VAM immobile on fixed form of P into available P from organic phosphates in
forest litter.
ā¢ VAM are also known to make available other elements such as N, Na, Mg, zn, Cu,
Ca etc.
ā¢ VAM increase tolerance of the plants to conditions such as high soil temperature,
poor availability of water, drought, etc.
ā¢ VAM decrease transplanting shock and thereby increase survival percentage of
seedlings.
ā¢ VAM are also known to control root diseases and plant parasitic nemat
6.
7.
8.
9. CLASSIFICATION OF BIO FERTILIZERS
ā¢ which fixes nitrogen symbiotically e.g. Rhizobium (root and
stem nodule bacteria of legumes or non-legumes), Frankia,
Azotobacater, etc.
ā¢ which contains phosphate dissolving and mineralizing strains
of bacteria and fungi, e.g. Fungi (Fusarium, Aspergillus,
Penicillium, etc.) and bacteria (Bacillus, Achromobacter, etc.)
ā¢ The group that furnishes propagules of mycorrizal fungi to
enhance water and nutrient uptake e.g. Ectomycorrhizes
(Pisolithus, Rhizopogon, Amanita, etc.) and Endomycorrhizas
(VAM fungi Glomus, Gigaspora, Acalospora, etc.
The important and useful micro flora for forest tree species are
ā
ā¢ Root and stem nodule bacteria legumes and non-legumes ā
Rhizobium
ā¢ Root nodule actinomycetes of non-legumes-Frankia
ā¢ Woody ā roots fungi mycorrizas.
10. APPLICATION OF BIO FERTILIZERS
IN FOREST NURSERIES
ā¢ The Methods of Applications are
ā¢ Seed inoculation
ā¢ Seed powdering : Dry seeds are sprinkled with 10% sugar solution or 30 to 40%
solution of water ā soluble gum to wet the seeds.
ā¢ Then dry powder of biofertilizers is mixed for complete costing of seed surface.
ā¢ The seeds are immediately sown after inoculation.
ā¢ Seed Slurring : Dissolving sugar or molasses or water-soluble gum makes
adhesive solution
ā¢ Then powder of bio fertilizer is added to make a slurry with inoculum.
ā¢ Seeds are mixed in this slurry and are dried in the shade.
ā¢ The coated seeds should be sown within 8 to 10 hours.
11. CONTāD
ā¢ Seed pelleting: pelleting material such as
powder limestone, less soluble super phosphate,
rock phosphate or basic slag is used.
ā¢ The adhesive solution is poured on the seeds
and then pelleting material is thoroughly mixed.
ā¢ The coated seeds are inoculated with moist
peat-based inoculum adhesive solution.
12. CONTāD
ā¢ Root inoculation
ā¢ Root inoculation is done at the time of transplanting the seedlings from nursery
beds polypots.
ā¢ An adhesive solution is prepared with 100 gm.-sticker powder in one litre of water
and in it 100 gm. bio fertilizer is mixed.
ā¢ Roots of 1000 seedlings, washed in tap water are dipped in this slurry for 40
minutes and then transplanted in the polypots
Soil inoculation
ā¢ The biofertilizrs, which are used for seed inoculation, can also be used for soil
inoculation.
ā¢ The solid based inoculum is mixed with farmyard manure or dissolved in water and
the mixture or solution is applied to solids of polypots and the nursery beds.
ā¢ The biofertilizers can be used as supplement to chemical fertilizers but not as
substitutes.
15. ADVANTAGE
ā¢ Biofertilizers reduce dependence upon expensive petroleum sources of chemical
fertilizers.
ā¢ Biofertilizers are a cheap, easy-to-use alternative to manufactured petrochemical
products.
ā¢ Biofertilizers restore normal fertility to the soil and make it biologically alive
ā¢ They take nitrogen from the atmosphere and phosphates from the soil and turn
them into forms that plants can use
ā¢ Biofertilizers increase yield by up to 30 percent because of the nitrogen and
phosphorus they add to the soil
ā¢ Biofertilizers help plants develop stronger root systems and grow better.
ā¢ wider range of nutrients, particularly micronutrients
ā¢ Help increase soil organic matter content
16. DISADVANTAGE
ā¢ Much lower nutrient density -- requires large amounts to get enough for
most crops.
ā¢ Requires a different type of machine to apply than chemical fertilizers
ā¢ Sometimes hard to locate in certain areas.
ā¢ Biofertilizers require special care for long-term storage because they are
alive.
ā¢ They must be used before their expiration date.
ā¢ If other microorganisms contaminate the carrier medium or if growers use
the wrong strain they are not as effective.
ā¢ The soil must contain adequate nutrients for biofertilizer organisms to
thrive and work.
17. CONTāD
ā¢ Biofertilizers lose their effectiveness if the soil is too hot or dry.
ā¢ Excessively acidic or alkaline soils also hamper successful growth of the beneficial
microorganisms.
ā¢ They are less effective if the soil contains an excess of their natural microbiological
enemies.
ā¢ Shortages of particular strains of microorganisms or of the best growing medium
reduce the availability of some biofertilizers.
ā¢ Biofertilizers complement other fertilizers, but they cannot totally replace them.
18. CONCLUSION
ā¢ Biofertiliser helps to produce healthy and sound crops as comparison to
chemical fertilizer.
ā¢ Stern care is needed.
ā¢ It is more benefitted to leguminous crop.
ā¢ Farmers and nursery growers should adapted this method for quality
produced and for fetching more financial return.
19. SUGGESTION
ā¢ It would be better if it is practiced on the basis of supply and chain method that
means direct interaction with farmers, nursery growers and students.
ā¢ It would be better if a model of biofertiliser technique is introduced to farmers
through college.