Unlike artificial chemical fertilizers, biofertilizers are substances that contain many microbes which help promote the growth of many plants, trees, shrubs, and so on. This is mainly due to the increasing supply of nutrients that are essential for their growth. Some of the most common microbes are blue-green algae or cyanobacteria, mycorrhizal fungi, Rhizobium, and Azospirillum. The mycorrhizal generally withdraw minerals from the organic matter which is needed to promote plants’ growth whereas the cyanobacteria or blue algae are characterized by their property or nature of fixing nitrogen.
What is nitrogen fixation?
Nitrogen fixation is a term used to define a process that is responsible for converting the di-nitrogen molecule into Ammonia. The bacteria are the ones that play a major role in the conversion process of nitrogen to ammonia. Hence, the nitrogen becomes available for plants to use.
Bacteria in biofertilizers:
1- Rhizobium
It is one of the most common bacteria in biofertilizers and it plays a vital role in nitrogen-fixing. These bacteria seek to obtain food from the plants and seek shelter there. In return, they help the plants in getting fixed nitrogen.
2- Azospirillum
This is another bacteria responsible for nitrogen fixation. These bacteria usually live around the roots of the plants but there is no connection or interaction between them. The term is often called rhizosphere association wherein the bacteria will just collect the plant exudate, and this serves as food for them. In other words, this interaction is termed associative mutualism.
3- Blue-Green algae or Cyanobacteria
This is another symbiotic Nitrogen-Fixing bacteria. These can be associated with several plants. Some examples of such bacteria are cycad roots, fern, liverworts, and lichens which are highly responsible for nitrogen-fixing of their associated plants. Another is the Anabaena which is mostly found at the fern’s leaf cavities. This is also important for nitrogen-fixing. The Azolla pinnate is a known fern that dwells in rice fields but does not play a role in promoting plants’ growth.
4- Free-Living Nitrogen-Fixing Bacteria
The free-living bacteria present in the soil are responsible for performing nitrogen fixation.
However, all the Rhizobium and Azospirillum are the most widely used across the globe.
Components of Biofertilizers
The components of biofertilizers are highlighted below:
- Bio Compost
This is one of the eco-friendliest products that are part of the biofertilizer. It is mainly composed of waste material from different industries especially the one released by sugar industries. This bio-compost is then treated with human-friendly bacteria, and fungi, along with various plants.
- Tricho-Card
This is another eco-friendly and non-pathogenic product that is widely used in many crops. The horticulture department works on this along and there are so many R&D works on this. These are mainly used in fields where they grow apple, brinjal, citrus, vegetables, sugar cane, cotton, corn, and many others.
This component protects the roots from all the pathogens that are present in the soil. This component plays a crucial role in the nitrogen-fixation process as everyone knows that nitrogen is one of the most important nutrients responsible for plant growth and around 78% of the atmosphere contains nitrogen.
This is another component of the biofertilizer. It is also an important nutrient just like nitrogen which is essential for plants' growth and development. Phosphate helps in solubilizing certain microorganisms and hydrolyze the phosphorus compounds that are insoluble to be in the soluble form so that they can be easily taken up by plants. Many fungi and bacteria are responsible for this purpose. These are Penicillium, Bacillus, Pseudomonas, Aspergillus, etc.
This is an Organic fertilizer that is very eco-friendly and has vitamins, organic carbon, hormones, antibiotics, and, sulfur that aid to increase the quality of the plants as well as the yield. Vermicompost is one of the best when it comes to improving soil fertility.
List of Top 10 Best Biofertilizers manufacturers:-
Let us have a look at some biofertilizers manufacturers
1- Nayata organics
They manufacture neem seeds oil since the year 1983 and now they can offer even neem-based biopesticides which can be used as bio fungicides, plant growth promoters, bio sprays, bio-fertilizers, etc.
2- Varsha Bioscience and Technology India Pvt ltd
Varsha Bioscience and Technology India Pvt Ltd. are one of the leading manufacturers of biofertilizers in Central India. It deals with plant growth promoters, biopesticides, biofertilizers, and many special products that are related to agriculture.
3- Gujwell Family Foundation
The company is Indian-based in Rajkot. They are the members of Tradekey.com since 2010. They provide Bio Liquid Fertilizer.
4- Neesa Agritech Pvt. Ltd.
This is also one of the manufacturers of agriculture-based products equipped with the best experts. Modern manufacturing technologies have been used by them to produce bioinsecticide, fertilizer, pesticides, and tissue.
5- Pacific Agro Industries
This is the fast-growing manufacturing company in the biotech industry. This particular organization is specialized in humic acid and additives, as well as bio plant growth promoters, bio-liquid fertilizer, pesticides, feed supplements, and so on.
6- T. Stanes And Company Ltd.
This company started way ahead in the year 1861, by the Sri Robert States. The company was founded as a tea plantation company and the coffee curing works. By that year1890, the company was interested in fertilizer mixing.
7- Murali Krishana Pvt. Ltd.
The company was established in March 2010 and its main focus is on the production and selling of bio-fertilizers, and bio-pesticide. They have a nursery for ornamental plants, fruits, vegetables, and flowers. Their specialization also lies in mushroom spawning and processing with value-added products.
8- Exotic Naturals
Exotic Naturals is one organization that not only provides bio-fertilizers but also has dedicated itself to providing solutions to global companies when it comes to human and crop health. It has served for more than a decade now.
9- East coast seaweed inc.
The East Coast Seaweed Inc. is a world-leading manufacturer and supplier of excellent quality organic chemicals and biofertilizers in India. This company now is supplying humic acid, Natural Brassinolide, amino acid powder (Protein Hydrolysate), extract, nitrobenzene, and fulvic to various fertilizer-pesticide formulators.
10- Eastland Agro Organics Pvt. Lt
This company was established due to the hard work and great efforts of (L) Dr. Jain, who has worked very hard to serve society and has benefited mankind in various ways. The organization works on the production of farm inputs that include organic or biofertilizers such as biofertilizers, vermicompost, manure, and so on.
Market outlook
Fertilizers over the years have played a massive role in increasing the agricultural output and its efficiency. Chemical fertilizer products are made up of various chemicals such as nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and many others and the main one which is used in India is the nitrogen-based fertilizer, which has the maximum across the country India. The main factors which led to the use of fertilizers and pesticides in India are government subsidies and also the increased demand for food forces the farmers to use them so that there is maximum efficiency in the food crops and grains they produce. The Indian fertilizers market is observed to grow at a 7% CAGR from 2012-to 17. However, the demand for biofertilizers in the biofertilizers global market is projected to be at a CAGR of 12.9% in the forecast period of 2017 to 2025. It is seen that there is a gradual shift from chemical-based fertilizers to organic or bio-fertilizers.
The shifting to biofertilizers has been seen to improve soil fertility and also there is a reduction in the price or cost of fertilizers and pesticides as chemical fertilizers are a bit expensive. This shifting is due to a number of factors which include the growing awareness of the benefits on health and the environment if biofertilizers are used and also this growth is due to the increased penetration of biofertilizers in the agricultural sector, this increasing demand for biofertilizers demand more and more production of it so that it can be easily available at an affordable price to many end-users. The biofertilizers global market like many others is segmented based on nitrogen-fixing, based on phosphate fixing, and based on potash mobilizing. The most common one is the nitrogen-fixing bio-fertilizer which keeps on increasing and this is one of the most prominent substitutes for the chemically made nitrogen fertilizers. Since biofertilizer has a great nitrogen content, therefore, the market scope of this is vast. Many organic fertilizers suppliers have come up in the market to supply such items.
FAQs: Biofertilizers
Q. What are the main benefits of using biofertilizers?
Ans. The main benefits of using biofertilizers are:
- Using biofertilizers increases the crop yield by 20-30%.
- Bio-fertilizers can replace nitrogen and phosphorus by around 25%.
- Bio-fertilizers stimulate plant growth.
- It improves the soil biologically.
- Bio-fertilizers maintain soil fertility.
- It protects against many soil-borne diseases.
Q. Is Biofertilizer Organic?
Ans. Bio-fertilizer is an organic-based component, which consists of 15% biochar which improves the carbon from 6 to 13% in the soil. It has so many advantages over synthetic fertilizers. The applications of bio-fertilizers improved the soil content and increased the concentration of N, P, K, and S in the soil. The use of bio-fertilizers will increase manifold in the future.
