How do bacteria and cyanobacteria increase soil fertility? Explain.
Fertilizers can be expensive agricultural inputs for small-scale farmers, but there are technologies being developed which can offer farmers less expensive ways to ensure their soils are fertile and healthy.
Cyanobacteria, or blue-green algae, is one such example of a bio-fertilizer, a type of organic fertilizer which contains living organisms and harnesses naturally occurring inputs like solar energy, nitrogen, and water to ensure soil fertility and plant growth. Small-scale farmers using bio-fertilizers have the potential to provide larger and more sustainable yields and healthier soils for themselves and their communities.
Micro-organisms are the most essential resource for a farmer because they nourish soil with essential nutrients. Soil contains numerous minerals in forms which plants cannot absorb directly. Microbes like fungi and bacteria with the help of their enzymatic machinery break down these minerals into forms that can be absorbed by crops. Along with essential elements, microbes also provide one of the most influential factors required for overall development of plants - plant hormones. Some of these plant hormones play crucial roles in seed formation, growth and ripening. These hormones also impart immunity against invading pests.
Fertilizers can be expensive agricultural inputs for small-scale farmers, but there are technologies being developed which can offer farmers less expensive ways to ensure their soils are fertile and healthy.
Cyanobacteria, or blue-green algae, is one such example of a bio-fertilizer, a type of organic fertilizer which contains living organisms and harnesses naturally occurring inputs like solar energy, nitrogen, and water to ensure soil fertility and plant growth. Small-scale farmers using bio-fertilizers have the potential to provide larger and more sustainable yields and healthier soils for themselves and their communities.
Micro-organisms are the most essential resource for a farmer because they nourish soil with essential nutrients. Soil contains numerous minerals in forms which plants cannot absorb directly. Microbes like fungi and bacteria with the help of their enzymatic machinery break down these minerals into forms that can be absorbed by crops. Along with essential elements, microbes also provide one of the most influential factors required for overall development of plants - plant hormones. Some of these plant hormones play crucial roles in seed formation, growth and ripening. These hormones also impart immunity against invading pests.
