Description of practice

A biofertilizer is a substance containing living micro-organisms. When applied to seeds, plant surfaces or soil the organisms colonize the rhizosphere or the interior of the plant, promoting growth by increasing the supply or availability of primary nutrients.

Examples of how to use biofertilizers		Further information (see Note below)
	Rhizobium inoculation Rhizobium inoculation is used to ensure adequate nitrogen (N) for legumes. Rhizobium infects the roots of leguminous plants and produces nodules where it fixes nitrogen gas from the atmosphere, which becomes available to the host plant.
	Azospirillum / Azotobacter inoculation Azospirillum and Azotobacter inoculation is used in various cereals and other crops. They are nitrogen-fixing bacteria that live around the roots of plants in a rhizosphere association. The bacteria feed on plant exudates while promoting plant growth.
	Blue Green Algae inoculation Blue green algae (Anabaena) inoculation is used for paddy rice. Anabaena in association with water fern (Azolla) fixes 60 kg N/ha/season and also enriches soils with organic matter.
	Mycorrizhae Mycorrizhae inoculant is applied when seeding crops or pasture. Mycorrhizae are able to create a vast connective network between the roots of a plant and the soil around them, which allows the fungus to uptake nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus for the plant and increase the surface area of the roots.
	Phosphate solubilizing bacteria Soil is inoculated with phosphate solubilizing bacteria (PSB) capable of dissolving inorganic phosphorus from insoluble compounds. As P-fertilizer is rapidly immobilized, PSB soil inoculum plays an important role in making P available for crops.

Note: Most of the Further information links are to a full description of the example in the WOCAT database. However sometimes the link may be to similar practices or a research paper. Occasionally the link is to a commercial product in which case it should be understood that this does not imply any endorsement of the product by iSQAPER.