Microbial Inoculants

BIOFERTILIZERS

BIO-FERTILIZERS are ecofriendly and are environmentally safe preperations containing living cells or latent cells of efficient strains of microorganisms that help plants uptake of nutrients by their interactions in the rhizosphere when applied through seeds or soil. Use of bio fertilizers is one of the important components of Integrated Nutrient Management, as they are cost effective and renewable source of plant nutrients to supplement the chemical fertilizers for sustainable agriculture.

Azospirillum

Azospirillum: is a symbiotic bacteria. This bacteria thrives in root zones and is capable of fixing more atmospheric Nitrogen which is absorbed by the plants. Root exudates of the crops provide nutrients for survival and multiplication of the bacteria. Azospirillum also solubilizes phosphorus and silicon to some extent required by plants. It renders plant drought tolerance when irrigation or rainfall is delayed. By adopting Azospirillum in soil, 30 % of the inorganic nitrogen usage can be reduced. It fixes 20–40 kg Nitrogen/ha in non-leguminous plants.

Synthesize some amount of active substances like vitamins, IAA(Indol Acetic Acid), Gibberellins(GA) and Nicotinic acid which helps in seed germination, early emergence, better root growth and development.

Recommended for soil application in all crops.

Azotobacter

Azotobacter: is a free-living nitrogen-fixing bacteria, which is used as a biofertilizer in the cultivation of most crops.When applied in soil, it produces abundant slime which helps in soil aggregation. Azotobacter improves seed germination and has beneficiary response on Crop Growth Rate (CGR). It helps to increase nutrient availability and to restore soil fertility for better crop response.

Produces and deposits biologically active metabolites like vitamins, IAA, gibberellins, which promotes seed germination and plant growth.

Harnesses atmospheric nitrogen and makes available directly to plants.

Enhances root proliferation due to growth promoting hormones.

P-solubilizing bacteria (Bacillus polymixa/Bacillus megaterium/Bacillus subtilis)

Phosphorus (P) is one of the major essential macronutrients for plants and is applied to soil in the form of phosphate fertilizers. However, a large portion of soluble inorganic phosphate which is applied to the soil as chemical fertilizer is immobilized rapidly and becomes unavailable to plants. Due to immobilization of phosphate by mineral ions such as Fe, Al and Ca, the rate of available phosphate in soil is well below plant’s need.

It is generally accepted that the major mechanism of mineral phosphate solubilization is by the action of organic acids synthesized by soil microorganisms.

Phosphate solubilizing bacteria (PSB) are beneficial bacteria capable of solubilizing inorganic phosphorus from insoluble compounds. When PSB is used with rock phosphate or bone meal, it can save about 50% of the crop requirement of phosphatic fertilizer. The use of PSB as inoculants increases P uptake by plants.

K-Solubilizing bacteria (FrateuriaAurentia)

Potassium (K) is one of the major macronutrients which play an important role in plant growth and development. Total soil Potassium reserves are generally large;however,major portion of it exists in insoluble K minerals and very little Potassium becomes available to plants. K-Solubilizing bacteria engage in the biological processes to make potassium available from unavailable form. Frateuria aurantia is a beneficial bacterium capable of mobilizing potassium. It works well in all types of soil especially, low potassium content soil.

Bacillus subtilis

Bacillus subtilis is a rhizosphere and phyllosphere colonizing bacteria. These are proven bacterial and fungal antagonize that protect crops from diseases. They are able to control several seed borne, soil borne and air borne crop diseases caused by fungus. The bacteria stay alive in the treated seed even if they are stored for a prolonged period. They grow and multiply after the seeds are planted. This species is very sturdy and spore forming, can exist in very harsh ecosystem and highly beneficial. Bacillus subtilis produces growth promoting substances there by increase sprouting rates of seeds and growth of seedlings and plant.

V A M (Vesicular Arbuscular Mycorrhiza)

The natural role of mycorhizosphere organisms may have been marginalized in intensive agriculture, since the microbial communities in conventional farming systems have been minimized due to tillage and high inputs of inorganic fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides.

Demand of fertilizers, increase in cost of energy, cost of fertilizers, etc., has been rising tremendously and will continue to rise. Moreover, excessive use of fertilizers is leaving bad impact on soil and water body environment. Therefore the concept of using VAM fungi as a bio fertilizer in terms of cost effectiveness, energy saving and environment friendly, is a promising perspective.The significance of VAM in augmenting food production is far and wide, therefore these can be used in sustainable agriculture. Mycorrhizae are root –symbionts which obtain their nutrients from the plant and provide mineral elements like N,P,K,Ca,S and Zn to the host plant.

Benefits of using AMF inoculam in soil.

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The VAM increases plant tolerance to various biotic and abiotic stresses including alkalinity, toxicities associated with mining operations, heavy metals and mineral imbalance.

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The VAM has potential use as biofertilizer and replaces the fertilizer requirements in areas of marginal fertility and reduces the needs of current levels of chemical fertilizer.

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The mycorrhizal symbiosis plays a vital role in changing the ecology of a given site. Mycorrhiza promotes mineral cycling and are key component of efficient and closed nutrient cycle of natural ecosystems.

VAM as a potential tool in bio-control.

Soil borne pathogens were controlled by using several agricultural practices such as use of resistant cultivars, fungicides, crop rotation and soil fumigation etc.

The beneficial microorganisms (antagonistic bacteria, e.g., Pseudomonas fluorescence,Bacillus subtilis,etc.) and fungi (e.g., VAM, Trichoderma, etc.) compete with plant pathogens for nutrients and space by producing certain antibiotics, by parasitizing pathogens, or by inducing resistance in the host plants. So, these microbes have been used for biocontrol of pathogens. In India, root-knot nematodes have been reported to cause significant crop lose or damage. Suppressing abilities of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi(AMF) against soil borne pathogens (root feeding nematodes and other fungi) can provide significant performance in plants rhizosphere.

BIO CONTROL ORGANISMS

Trichoderma viride /T. Harzianum

Both are agriculturally important soil borne micro organisms most extensively used for the bio control against phytophthora, fusarium, pythium,rhizoctonia, etc. This fungi associates with plant roots, serves as a plant growth promoter agent and as a bio control agent for plant disease. Effective to control quick wilt, fusarium wilt, root rot, clump rot etc. Method to make this organism alive in soil is by providing this as a soil amendment. In order to establish Trichoderma make sure enough moisture and organic manure in soil and an optimum pH level (value between 5.6 - 6.4 for cardamom cultivation).

Pseudomonas Fluorescens

Pseudomonas Fluorescens is an agriculturally important beneficial bacteria. It can prevent plants from fungal disease such as phytophthora, pythium, fusarium, rhizoctonia, cercospora, colletotrichum and bacteria like xanthomonas, ralstonia, etc. Effective to control Quick wilt, fusarium wilt, root rot, clump rot, Phythium, etc. Major function of Pseudomonas is its ability to dissolve the chitin on the cell walls of pathogenic fungus. Soft scaled insects, sucking pests, etc. can also be controlled by the application of Pseudomonas. Further to this, Pseudomonas brings good results to flowering, capsule setting, enhance overall growth by producing suitable phytohormons.

Seed germination rates can be enhanced by using Pseudomonas. Hormones like Indole Acetic Acid (IAA), Cytokinins, Gibberellins (GA) etc. are produced by the Pseudomonas, which in turn increase the rate of root formation and stem growth. Pseudomonas helps in Phosphorus solubilisation, and its ability to produce certain antibiotics and inhibitory compounds are remarkable.

Beauveria bassiana

Beauveria bassiana is anentamopathogenic fungus that infects a huge variety of insects and is used to control crop infestations by aphids, thrips, whitefly, borers, etc. This living organism acts like a parasite, infecting different types of invertebrates (insects, mites, etc.). When the conidia (spores) come into contact with the insect’s cuticle (skin), they spread into the hemolymph (blood), which theyfeed on.

Beauveria bassiana acts as a pathogen to Helicoverpa spp., Spodoptera spp., Borers, hairy caterpillars, mites, scales etc.

Tips: Beauveriabassiana and Verticilliumlecanii were tested for their efficacy against Whitefly and Aphid (invitro condition). The mortality caused by the B. bassiana was higher as compared to V. lecanii.

Paeceilomyces lilacinus

Paeceilomyceslilacinus is an entomopathogenic fungus that infects nematodes like root -knot nematodes, burrowing nematodes, cyst nematodes, mealy bugs etc. The spores of this fungus act by infecting, parasitising and killing eggs, juvenile and young adults of most nematode species.
When they come into contact with different stages of nematodes, they germinate, grow and proliferate throughout the nematode, paralyze them and eventually kill it.

Paeceilomyceslilacinus can be applied as a suspension in water, as a pre-plant treatment or at planting and emergence stage. Prepare a suspension with FYM (Farm Yard Manure) and neem cake to drench in soil gives very good results against nematode attacks.

Verticillium lecanii

An entemopathogenic fungus primarily acts like a pathogen for soft scale insects (coccidae).

Insects are infected when they come into contact with the sticky fungal spores which then grow and invade the body, thus the internal organs are consumed, leading to their death. In horticulture and agriculture, "V. lecanii" isolates were developed for controlling insect pests such as whitefly, thrips, aphids and mites.

Metarhizium anisopliae

A fungus that grows naturally in soil throughout the world and causes disease in various insects by acting as a parasitoid. This biological insecticide is targeted to a number of pests such as termites, white grubs, caterpillars, semiloopers, mealy bugs etc.Controllarval,pupal,nymphalandadult stages.

The disease caused by this fungus is sometimes called green muscardine disease because of the green colour of its spores. When these spores (called conidia) of the fungus come into contact with the body of an insect host, they germinate and the hyphae that emerge penetrate the cuticle. The fungus then develops inside the body, eventually killing the insect after a few days. The cuticle of the cadaver often becomes red.