The biofertilizers help to increase growth, yield and quality of fruits in addition to improve soil fertility.

1. THE ROLE OF
BIOFERTILISERS
IN
HORTICULTURAL
CROPS
Dr. Parshant Bakshi, Sr.Scientist, Fruit Science,
ACHR, Udheywalla, SKUAST-Jammu

2. “Bio-fertilizers are substances that contain
micro-organisms, which when added to the
soil increase its fertility and promotes plant
growth.”

3. Bio-fertilizers: A potent tool for
agriculture
Bio-fertilizers are believed to be
an important component of
integrated nutrient management
(INM) which have shown
encouraging results in terms of
increase in crop yield and income

4. Bio-fertilizers are eco-friendly,
low cost agricultural inputs that
have supplementary role with
chemical fertilizers which
improves both soil fertility and
nutrient availability to the plants

5. On an average, bio-
fertilizers add up to 20-30
% increase crop yields

6. It provides a better option
to augment the fertilizer
use efficiency (FUE) and
maintain soil health and
quality of produce.

7. Bio-fertilizers are non-toxic
in nature and they don’t
have any residual effects
unlike chemical fertilizers.

8. They produce phyto-
hormones, like auxins
(IAA) and gibberellins
helpful in promoting
root growth and
development

10. Major Classification of Bio-
fertilisers
Nitrogen Azotobacter, Rhizobium,
Azospirillum
Phosphorous Penicillium sp, Bacillus subtilis
Potassium Rhizoctonia solani, Glomus sp

11. - Rhizobium is a genus of
bacteria associated with
the formation of root
nodules on plants.
-These bacteria live in
symbiosis with legumes.
-They take in nitrogen
from the atmosphere and
pass it on to the plant,
allowing it to grow in soil
low in nitrogen.
Rhizobium

12. - Azolla is a fast growing,
free floating fresh water
fern having a symbiotic
relationship with BGA
Anabaena azollae.
- It is a potent biofertilizer
often grown is shallow
water or submerged rice
fields in tropical and
subtropical climates.
Azolla

13. - Azotobacter is a free-living
nitrogen fixing aerobic
bacteria which is commonly
found in neutral to alkaline
soils.
- It is used for non-leguminous
plants especially vegetables;
vegetables respond better to
azotobacter compare to other
crops as it fixes atmospheric
nitrogen and is able to promote
plant growth.
Azotobacter

14. - Azosprillium is a free living,
nitrogen fixing bacterium
found in the rhizosphere of
several grass species which
fixes nitrogen in association
with the roots of monocots.
- It fixes 20- 40 kg N per ha in
case of cereals, cotton, oilseed
and millets.
- It produces auxins, gibbrellins
and cytokinins.
Azospirillium

15. - Phosphate Solubilizing Micro
Organism (PSM) such as
Psuedomonas and Bacillus helps
in converting insoluble
inorganic phosphate into simple
and soluble forms.
-These bacteria are useful in
utilization of rock phosphate
with low content of phosphorus
penta oxide.
Phosphate Solubilizing Bacteria

16. ROLE OF BIOFERTILISERS IN
HORTICULTURAL CROPS
 Effect of biofertilizer on growth character
 Effective varieties of Azotobacter, Azospirillum,
Phosphobacter and Rhizobacter can provide the
maximum amount of nitrogen available as a nitrogen
cycling.
 It produce plant hormones, including indole acetic acid
(IAA), gibberellins (GA) and cytokinins (CK).
 Improves the performance of photosynthesis to provide
plant tolerance to stress and increase pathogen resistance
which in turn improves growth of plant.

17. Mango grafts as influenced by biofertilizers
Treatments Plant height (cm) at different days
0 30 60 90 120 150
Un-inoculated control 32.65 38.67 40.33 46.67 47.33 50.13
Azospirillium spp. (AZO) 32.67 47.33 48.33 49.00 50.00 58.20
Phosphorus solubilizing
bacteria(PSB)
28.33 42.33 46.33 49.33 56.00 59.60
Pseudomonas flourescens
(PF)
31.00 41.67 44.00 49.67 52.00 57.47
Vesicular Arbuscular
Mychorrhizae (VAM)
27.00 34.33 49.67 52.33 54.00 56.27
AZO+PSB+PF 27.67 37.67 49.33 51.00 62.00 63.13
AZO+PSB+VAM 34.33 50.67 51.33 52.67 54.00 57.23
AZO+PF+VAM 34.00 45.00 47.33 56.33 61.00 68.23
AZO+PSB+PF+VAM 26.67 42.00 45.00 57.00 58.67 65.27
S Em±
CD@ 5%
5.50
10.78
7.84
15.37
6.45
12.65
7.29
14.30
9.05
17.74
4.85
9.50
Shankarappa et al.

18. Kumar et al. (2014) suggested that the
effect of AMF and Azospirillum showed
highest growth of aonla plant.
They also observed highest number of
leaves and shoot length in same
treatment of aonla plants.
They concluded that nutrient availability
may be increased by the application of
the bio-fertilizers and also enhancing the
growth of the plant and improves the
fruit quality and fruit size.

19.  The use of bio-fertilizer in the soil increases
biodiversity that makes up all kinds of beneficial
bacteria and fungi including arbuscular
mycorrhiza fungi (AMF) called plant growth-
promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) and nitrogen
fixers.
 There are many small organisms that thrive in the
soil, especially in the rhizosphere of a plant. A large
number of these microorganisms have active
relationships and form a complete system with
plants. They have beneficial effects on plant yield.
Effect of bio-fertilizers on yield

20.  Das et al. (2017) stated that the
combination of two bio-fertilizers
i.e Azospirillum brasilense +
Arbuscular mycorhizal showed
the highest fruit retention and
fruit yield i.e. 41.3 kg per plant
along with highest fruit size (cm),
fruit weight (g) and pulp weight
(g) in guava plant.
 They also concluded that the
application Azospirillum
brasilense alongwith AMF also
gave the highest yield in the
guava growers.

21.  Azotobacter and Azospirillium are free living bacteria that
congregate near the root zone and enhance the nitrogen
found in the soil by N modification, whereas
 Phosphate solubilizing bacteria (PSB) dissolve insoluble
phosphorus in the soil and make it available to plants.
 Vesicular-Arbuscular Mycorrhizae (VAM) helps to build:
- strong root system,
- increase root zone,
- improve growth, nutrient uptake and
- increase root tolerance for soil-borne pathogens
which improves the soil production.
Effect of bio-fertilizers on soil character

22.  Application of biofertilizer increases the availability of soil
minerals; soil microbial biomass and respiration.
 Leaf nutrient concentration varies during growth and the use of
bio-fertilizer increases potassium, phosphorus and zinc
concentrations in mature leaves.
 Its application reduces total soluble solids and boron
concentration, without affecting the firmness of the fruit.
 It has a positive effect on the mineral N-dynamics and the
microflora of the soil, converting the nutrient content in the
leaves.
 It quality by increasing biomass roots; root facilitate higher
absorption of nutrients and increase yields by reducing the use of
natural energy resources and ultimately improves fruit quality.
Effect of bio-fertilizers on quality paramete

23.  Singh et al. (2000) suggested that the effect
of combination treatment of % P + VAM +
N was found to be best treatment for
producing maximum growth and yield of
high quality fruit in Mosambi.

24. Constraints in Bio-fertilizer
Production and Adoption
There are several constraints i.e. technological,
environmental, infrastructural, financial, unawareness,
marketing etc. which limits the production and
application of this technology to farmer’s field at larger
scale.
 Lack of efficient strains resulting in use of native,
ineffective strains used for production.
 Shorter shelf-life of inoculants. e.g. Azolla can’t
withstand desiccation hence it is difficult to transport
long distance.

25.  Lack of technical know-how and the production units.
 Soil characteristics like acidity, salinity etc. affects the
growth and multiplication rate of microorganisms. As
fungi performs better in acid soils while bacteria in
neutral to alkaline soils.
 Lack of suitable carrier (medium in which rhizobium
are allowed to multiply) and high sensitivity to
temperature variation.
 Lack of awareness regarding its production, methods
of inoculation and advantages.

26. CONCLUSION
 There was a time when the sole aim was to improve the
productivity of horticultural crops in our country and to
achieve this low cost inorganic fertilizers were used
without considering their ill effects on soil fertility, health
hazards, environment pollution etc. Now that self
sufficiency has been achieved the focus has shifted to
conservation of ecology by following cultural practices
which involves no harm to the environment.
 Overall bio-fertilizers play an important role in sustainable
agriculture. Although, use of bio-fertilizer is not common
amongst the farmers. But the knowledge about the benefits
of bio-fertilizers will make the farmers to adopt the
sustainable way of increasing the productivity and farm
income.

28. Call: 00-91-9419101601
Email: parshantskuastj@gmail.com
Website: www.krishisandesh.com
YouTube channel
www.youtube.com/parshantbakshi