Microbes can be used to decrease the use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides. Explain how this can be accomplished.
Microbes can be used to decrease the use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides. Explain how this can be accomplished.
Microbes can be used as bio fertilisers, organisms that enrich the nutrient quality of the soil.
The main sources of bio-fertilisers are bacteria, fungi and cyanobacteria. They help in increasing the fertility of the soil in many ways
(i) Rhizobium that forms nodules in the roots of leguminous plants (a symbiotic association) fixes atmospheric nitrogen into organic forms, which is used by the plant as the nutrient.
(ii) Azospirillum and Azotobacter fix atmospheric nitrogen, while living freely, and enriching the nitrogen content of the soil.
(iii) Many members of the genus Glomus (fungi) form symbiotic associations with the plant known as mycorrhiza that
(a) absorb phosphorus from soil and pass it to the plant
(b) help the plants to develop resistance to root pathogens
(c) increase their tolerance to salinity and drought and thus, help in an overall increase in plant growth and development.
(iv) Cyanobacteria autotrophic microbes, e.g., Anabaena, Nostoc, Oscillatoria can fix atmospheric nitrogen, in the aquatic and terrestrial environment and also add organic matter to the soil and increase its fertility.
Microbes can be used as bio fertilisers, organisms that enrich the nutrient quality of the soil.
The main sources of bio-fertilisers are bacteria, fungi and cyanobacteria. They help in increasing the fertility of the soil in many ways
(i) Rhizobium that forms nodules in the roots of leguminous plants (a symbiotic association) fixes atmospheric nitrogen into organic forms, which is used by the plant as the nutrient.
(ii) Azospirillum and Azotobacter fix atmospheric nitrogen, while living freely, and enriching the nitrogen content of the soil.
(iii) Many members of the genus Glomus (fungi) form symbiotic associations with the plant known as mycorrhiza that
(a) absorb phosphorus from soil and pass it to the plant
(b) help the plants to develop resistance to root pathogens
(c) increase their tolerance to salinity and drought and thus, help in an overall increase in plant growth and development.
(iv) Cyanobacteria autotrophic microbes, e.g., Anabaena, Nostoc, Oscillatoria can fix atmospheric nitrogen, in the aquatic and terrestrial environment and also add organic matter to the soil and increase its fertility.
