Bio-fertilizersare being essential component of organic farming are the preparationscontaining live or latent cells of efficient strains of nitrogen fixing,phosphate solubilizing or cellulolytic micro-organisms used for application toseed, soil or composting areas with the objective of increasing number of suchmicro-organisms and accelerate those microbial processes which augment theavailability of nutrients that can be easily assimilated by plants.Biofertilizers play a very significant role in improving soil fertility byfixing atmospheric nitrogen, both, in association with plant roots and withoutit, solubilise insoluble soil phosphates and produces plant growth substancesin the soil.
Use ofbiofertilizers is one of the important components of integrated nutrientmanagement, as they are cost effective and renewable source of plant nutrientsto supplement the chemical fertilizers for sustainable agriculture. Severalmicroorganisms and their association with crop plants are being exploited inthe production of biofertilizers.
Organic farming system is not new in India and is being followed fromancient time. It is a method of farming system which primarily aimed atcultivating that land and raising crops in such a way as to keep the soil aliveand in good health by use of organic wastes (crop, animal and farm waste,aquatic waste) and other biological material along with beneficial microbes (biofertilizers)to release nutrients to crops for increased sustainable production in aneco-friendly, pollution-free environment.
India is an agro basedcountry. So organic farming plays an important role in agro field. Thepopularity of organic farming is gradually increasing and now organicagriculture is practiced in almost all countries of the world, and its share ofagricultural land and farms is growing. As the organic food market continues toexpand, so do the opportunities for small farmers.
It is believed by manythat organic farming is the much healthier and sustainable option. Although thehealth benefits of organic food are yet to be proven fully, consumers arewilling to pay a higher premium for organic crops. Many farmers in India areshifting to organic farming due to the domestic and international demand fororganic food.
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