BIOFERTILIZER: A KEY TO SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE

ABSTRACT

Current soil management strategies are mainly dependent on inorganic chemical-based fertilizers, which caused a serious threat to human health and environment. The exploitation of beneficial microbes as a biofertilizer has become paramount importance in agriculture sector for their potential role in food safety and sustainable crop production.

The eco-friendly approaches inspire a wide range of application of plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPRs), endo- and ectomycorrhizal fungi, cyanobacteria and many other useful microscopic organisms led to improved nutrient uptake, plant growth and plant tolerance to abiotic and biotic stress.

The present review highlighted biofertilizers as a key to sustainable agriculture, also the knowledge gained from the literature appraised herein will help us to understand what biofertilizers are all about, types of biofertlizers, the advantages of biofertilizers, how they can play a key role in plants and the sustainability towards agriculture.

iv

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title page                                                                                                    i

Dedication                                                                                                  ii

Acknowledgement                                                                                                iii

Abstract                                                                                                      iv

Table of content                                                                                          v

CHAPTER ONE                                                                                                

Introduction                                                                                                         1

CHAPTER TWO                                                                                                        

Types of Biofertilizers                                                                                3

Azolla                                                                                                         3

Nitrogen Fixers                                                                                           4

Phosphate Solubilizers                                                                               6

Zinc Solubilizers                                                                                         6

CHAPTER THREE                                                                                          

Biofertilizer as a key to sustainable agriculture                                          8

Advantages of Biofertilizers                                                                       20

CHAPTER FOUR                                                                                             

Conclusion                                                                                                 21

CHAPTER FIVE                                                                                                         

Reference                                                                                                    22