BIO-FERTILIZER

INTRODUCTION:
What is Biofertilizer? Biofertilizers are live formulates of beneficial microorganisms which on application to seed, root or soil mobilize the availability of nutrients by their biological activity in particular, and help build up the micro-flora and in turn the soil health in general. The more we learn about the earth, the more important seem the mechanics of survival. Have you ever thought critically about a thriving forest ecosystem with big trees and all other forms of plant growth ranging from grasses to shrubs? There is an abundance of plant growth with every plant thriving and showing vigour. In such natural ecosystems there is no irrigation, fertilizer application, herbicides or even fungicides but the success of plant growth is amazing. Bear in mind that this forest may have been there for millions of years and yet the soil is still able to support such enormous growth! In reality, nature works in subtle ways. There is no doubt that competition is everywhere, and attaining resources is important for establishing plants. However, we now realize that in natural systems, organisms work together interdependently. There is no doubt that nature is less a battleground and more a marketplace. Compare the above scenario to agricultural farms. Farmers have to maintain the growth of their crops by using „brute force‟. There is a lot of tilling, application of large volumes of inorganic fertilizer, thorough weeding and the use of chemicals to achieve a good harvest. To exert this brute force the farmers have to spend a lot of money year after year and season after season. The trend is that every other year farmers have to spend more on inputs than what they spent last year. Back to the forest. There are tiny little secrets that enable plants in the forest to grow so successfully. The secret is a group of symbiotic fungi (and other organisms) with which plants exchange materials and services in a mutually advantageous living arrangement. This is the key to successful growth. The abundance of life in such forests (or undisturbed soils) is amazing. In one square meter there can be over 10,000 different species of soil microbes. In one acre of forest soil there can be 2,000 kg of fungal mycelium. These fungi join or enter plant roots to form arbuscules or fungal sheaths forming a web of fungal filaments called mycelia. In fact a pinch of healthy soil will have several miles of fungal mycelia. The mycelia travels „miles‟ in the soil to get nutrients and water which it then supplies to the plant roots.
Enter fertilizers, fungicides and other agrochemicals and the once thriving ecosystem shrinks to near zero. Imagine the role every soil organism plays. Good examples are the soil fungi, beneficial bacteria (some even fix Nitrogen into the soil), earthworms, protozoa and other smaller animals whose role in nutrient recycling can never be overlooked. It is okay to look at fertilizers as salts (and you know what a pinch of salt can
do to a mature earthworm) that are used to replenish nutrients in soil. Addition of Phosphorus (especially if it is excess) inhibits the growth of these important soil fungi. Fungicides also wipe out the population of soil fungi. Chemical fertilizers are essentially salts that suck the water out of beneficial bacteria, fungi, protozoa, earthworms and a wide array of other organisms in the soil. It is these organisms that form the basis of the food web which conserve and process nutrient capital in the soil. By destroying large segments of living soils, farmers are stuck with an agricultural regime that requires the continued and on-going use of synthetic chemicals.
Since a picture is worth a thousand words, here‟s a simple diagram (plus a few words) which portrays some of the complexities in the soil. So, what’s going on....
Well at 1 we have an achlorophyllous plant (in black) using a parasitic fungus (in red) as its source of carbon. Notice that the red hyphae have penetrated a tree and some red mushrooms have been formed at the base of the trunk.
At 2 there are some mushrooms that have arisen from the fungus. Note how the associated mycelium is linking several plants.
You can see the buried fruiting bodies of a truffle-like fungus at 3. In this case the mycelium connects just two plants.
The young plant at 4 is growing in the shade of a mature plant, but it is connected to two mature plants by a couple of fungal mycelia. Notice the numerous dark blue Fungi Helper Bacteria.
The mycelium of yet another fungus has formed corticioid fruiting bodies on fallen twigs and mosses at 5. Although soil microbial loss in modern farming is inevitable, research has shown that these soil microbes can be re-introduced back into the soil and incorporated with other inputs to maximize production and lower the rate of application of fertilizers and reduce watering. This documentation explains the benefits of Biofertilizer to crops. It also shows how farmers can propagate these useful soil fungi in their farms using the Biosafe biofertilizer kit. The result is BIOFERTILIZER with enormous potential in the production of a wide range of crops, trees and grasses. This biofertilizer is a rich mixture of the soil fungi capable of changing the agriculture industry. The process is very simple cost-effective. The biofertilizer can then be used on a wide range of agricultural crops and trees:
 It can be mixed with seeds before planting.
 It can be inoculated on cuttings to make them root and develop faster.
 It can be inoculated during transplanting of seedlings (this greatly increases the chances of survival of transplanted seedlings).
 It can also be inoculated on already growing plants/trees to increase growth and limit water stress.
 The biofertilizer is useful in landscaping and establishment of grass and fodder crops.
The biofertilizers have undergone thorough testing and have been shown to be environmentally friendly. There are over 50 thousand researches done in different universities on these soil fungi and have shown great benefits to the farmers and the environment. It is good to view this product as a way of re-introducing some of the microbes lost as a result of agricultural activities. The result is a healthy soil that is able to support crop production with less fertilizer, water and other inputs. Many farmers, arborists, landscapers and environmentalists in the US, Canada and Europe are now using biofertilizers and the demand keeps on growing year after year.
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THE SOIL ENVIRONMENT: The soil is a fascinating place, yet few of us give it much thought as we tread over it. There's not time here to do justice to understanding the soil environment and all that happens there, but we do need to review a few of its more important features. The figure below shows a very tiny bit of soil greatly enlarged with the components drawn to scale.
A tiny bit of soil shown at two enlargements. The background is enlarged approximately 30 times. At this scale, an earthworm would be about as wide as the entire drawing. The isolated portion is enlarged approximately 500 times. At this scale, that earthworm would be about 17 times wider than the pages of this book. Note the tremendous range of sizes, and how the sizes of pores and the "necks" that connect them constrain the movement of water, air, and organisms.
The first thing that should strike you is the huge range of sizes among the different types of mineral particles and organisms. In this and many other ways, the soil is extremely heterogeneous, that is, it differs greatly from place to place, often over what to us would be extremely short distances.
It also varies over time, especially with respect to its water content. Soil is a living entity, formed by the combined action of physical, chemical and, especially, biological processes. Its main components include: mineral particles, water, air, organisms, and organic matter.
As you can see from illustration above, the roots (root hairs) can only exploit a very limited volume of the soil environment for nutrients and water. The absorbing surface area can be greatly increased by the colonization of the roots by symbiotic fungal hyphae (mycelia). The fungal hyphae are very thin and grow on the surface of soil particles and also fit in between the smallest soil particles. It is in these tiny spaces where they extract water and nutrients and make them available to the plant.
As the mycelia grow and encounter the roots of other plants in the soil they colonize them (as shown in the above diagram). They then form fertility islands in the farm plots similar to the forest ecosystems.
The middle seedling has become fully colonized by the fungus which is now starting to colonize the younger seedlings on the side. What a web!
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BENEFITS OF BIOFERTILIZER. The valuable soil microbes in the biofertilizer have been scientifically proven to confer numerous benefits to agricultural crops. The following benefits are the most important of the many benefits the farmers can expect. 1. GREATER TOLERANCE TO WATER STRESS (DROUGHT). Water stress is a major limiting factor in terrestrial environments and exerts a big pressure on agriculture today. Rain fed agriculture many times suffers from inadequate precipitation and dry spells ranging from a few days to several weeks sometimes leading to drying of crops. As mentioned in another section of this document, soil microorganisms can increase the absorbing area of plant roots by a factor of 10 to 1000 times! The fungal filaments are very thin (compared to root hairs) and travel miles between soil particles where soil water is found existing as a thin water film. They absorb the water and then supply it to the plant roots. The fungi are also known to increase the root's storage capacity for water, holding water rather like a sponge. When the plant needs water, it can take it from the fungal mycelia. This means plants growing with association of these valuable soil fungi would grow much better in areas where water availability is limited. 2. CROPS HAVE A HIGHER ABILITY TO ABSORB NUTRIENTS. The increased capacity of plant roots for water and nutrients uptake from the soil when colonized by these soil fungi is the main mechanisms proposed to explain the effect of these soil fungi in plant performance. This behavior is particularly evident with soil nutrients that are more immobile such as phosphorus (P), zinc (Zn), Iron (Fe) and copper (Cu). Improved phosphorus nutrition for fungi-colonized roots has been demonstrated for hundreds of cultivated plants. The fungi excrete powerful chemicals that dissolve mineral nutrients By extending past the P-depletion zone formed around the root systems, the fungal soil network is able to maintain P transport to plant for longer periods. Under high P soil conditions, these microbes are of less importance to plants and the symbiosis is temporarily inhibited. As such, a reduction in P application is recommended in order to stimulate and maintain symbiosis efficiency.
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3. REDUCES THE RATE OF USE OF INORGANIC FERTILIZER. Using these fungi improves the absorption of fertilizers in the soil. Farmers can cut their fertilizer use 30-50% by establishing a healthy absorbing web of fungal filaments. In one study, where corn was fertilized with anhydrous ammonia, the crop utilized only 29-45% of the added nitrogen. The unutilized fertilizer is usually leached or washed away into the rivers causing pollution. The applied fertilizer is also used by weeds for their growth. This biofertilizer does not support the growth of weeds. 4. INCREASING PLANT GROWTH, YIELDS AND QUALITY. Plants establish and yield more abundantly and require less intensive care (brute force) when they grow with these soil microbes. This is a major reason why plants from natural undisturbed areas can thrive without irrigation, fertilizer and pesticides. Independent researches done in the field have shown very good results in increasing the yields of many agricultural crops. Tests on wheat led to an average yield of 2,796kg per hectare when treated compared to 1,977kg per hectare for the untreated plots. This is a 41% increase in yield over controls. In yet another test on wheat in a dry-land farm on one commercial product, yields were 61 bushels per acre for treated plots compared to 35 bushels per acre for the controls. This was a record 74% increase in yield! Other tests have shown 47% yield increase for sorghum, 30% increase in yield for cassava and 38% increase in yield for maize. Other tests on on-farm produced inoculum showed 119% increase in shoot weight of vegetables and 70% increase in shoot weight of forage crops. A test on potatoes showed that the treated plots out produced the control plots by 45%. A very interesting study done on fruit trees i.e. citrus, mango and passion showed great improvement in taste as well as yield. Below are photos of Treated plants as they compare to Un-treated plants under the same environmental conditions. Note the sharp difference in growth for all the tests.
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Maize Untreated
Maize Treated
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The pine seedling on the left was treated with biofertilizer while the one on the right was not.
Treated Untreated
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The tomato plant on the left was treated with biofertilizer while the one on the right was not. Tomato trial: Tomato plant on the right was grown without biofertilizer and fertilizer, center: inorganic fertilizer only, left: inorganic fertilizer and biofertilizer.
Tomatoes
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The potato plants on the right were treated with biofertilizer, while the ones on the left were not. Potato plant on the right was treated with biofertilizer inoculant while the one on the left was not.
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The grass on the right was inoculated with biofertilizer at time of sowing while the one on the left was not. The right side of this wheat field was inoculated while the left side was not. The difference is phenomenal. A farmer shows off his harvest of organic onions grown with a commercial bio-fertilizer.
Untreated
Treated
WHEAT
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5. PRESERVING THE SOIL STRUCTURE FOR ROOT PENETRATION AND PREVENTION OF SOIL EROSION. The fungi also improve soil structure. Their filaments produce humic compounds and organic “glues” (extra-cellular polysaccharides) that bind soils into aggregates and improve soil porosity. These microorganisms produce compounds like Glomalin which glue soil particles together thus preventing erosion. Soil porosity and soil structure positively influence the growth of plants by promoting aeration, water movement into soil, root growth and distribution. After many years of continuous cultivation, the soil changes and loses its good structure and water holding capacity. The use of this biofertilizer is a safe way of restoring such soils to their original state. This photo shows black cotton soil treated with biofertilizer after being used for growing beans and onions. Onion roots were found to have grown 24 inches deep in the soil. 6. INCREASING THE SURVIVAL RATE OF PLANTS. Plants inoculated with these essential soil fungi have greater chances of survival during conditions of environmental stress. Inoculated seedlings have higher chances of surviving transplantation. Some plants e.g. pine can‟t grow without the symbiotic association with these soil microorganisms. 7. INCREASING RESISTANCE TO DISEASES AND NEMATODES. Suppression of diseases and pathogens are additional benefits for a colonized plant. The fungi attack pathogen or disease organisms entering the rhizosphere (root zone). For example, excretions of specific antibiotics produced by the fungi immobilize and kill pathogenic fungi and bacteria. The fungi protect plants from Phytophthora, Fusarium and Rhizoctonia.
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The fungal hyphae have been shown to trap nematodes preventing them from damaging plant roots. 8. INCREASING THE ABSORBING AREA OF ROOTS BY A FACTOR OF 10 TO 1000 TIMES. Extensive network of fungal hyphae radiating from roots of a larch (Larix) seedling grown in peat. The white mycelia seen here ARE NOT ROOTS. As shown in the above photo the plant‟s root may be only a few inches long. The fungal filaments can be up to several miles in length.
Roots are relatively large, slow-growing, and have little or no ability to play an active part in releasing nutrients from rocks or organic matter into the soil solution. While they may be able to take up nutrients from soil solution in the macro pores and largest micro pores, they quickly absorb all that's there and nutrient depletion zones develop around the roots. Because nutrients are released only gradually and move through soil very slowly, these depletion zones normally take a long time to recover. The large portion of nutrients held in the micro-pores is not available to the plants directly because even their root hairs, which are not very abundant in natural soils, cannot fit into many of these tiny pores. Thus, though plants work very well above ground, but not as well below.
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Fungi, on the other hand, are beautifully adapted to life in the soil. Their microscopic hyphal structure allows them to grow fast, find their way into places that larger organisms (like root hairs) can't reach, and traverse inhospitable areas such as air-filled pores where root hairs cannot venture. 9. PROMOTES ROOTING, FLOWERING AND FRUITING. The inoculation of plants with these soil fungi promotes rooting. As shown below, the roots of treated strawberry roots have grown about four times the control plant. Plants treated with this biofertilizer flower more than untreated ones. This is attributed to the supply of nutrients to the plant. Treated plants also tend to fruit more than untreated ones due to availability of nutrients. Strawberry plant roots. The plant on the left was not treated with biofertilizer while the one on the right was treated.
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THE PRODUCT: The approach of Best Agricultural Practice (BAP) requires solutions with regard to the core factors of sustainability namely ecology, economy and social demands. This is true for the Biotechnological Product, „Biosafe biofertilizer kit‟. The Biosafe biofertilizer kit enables farmers to propagate useful soil microbes in their own farms. It provides farmers with a cost effective solution to the problem of high cost of inputs like fertilizer purchase and transport. The Biosafe biofertilizer kit includes the following items:
1. Soil fumigant.
2. Propagation PP bag.
3. Seeds.
4. Microbial inoculum.
5. Instructions of use.
The farmers are advised to follow the instructions supplied with the kit for best results. One kit produces enough biofertilizer to inoculate enough seed to plant 1-2 acres of land.
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PROCESS OF ON-FARM PRODUCTION OF BIOFERTILIZER: The process of the on-farm production of the bio-fertilizer is a very easy. Any farmer can follow the process and make enough biofertilizer for their entire farm within a very small space. It takes a few minutes to set up and very little time and effort for maintenance. Watering and shading is necessary to avoid drying during the growing phase of the kit. Requirements:
1. Biosafe biofertilizer kit
2. 10 kg of Soil
3. Water
4. Space for growing the kit
Below is the process of the on-farm production of the biofertilizer. Collection of soil:- The soil to be used should preferably be sandy loam with humus. A higher percentage of sand than clay is recommended. Use 10kg of dry soil per one Biosafe biofertilizer kit. Treatment of soil:- The soil is first wetted to attain the moisture level needed for germination. It is then heaped and left alone for a period of 7 days. The soil is treated by mixing it thoroughly with the soil fumigant supplied with the kit. It is then filled into the pp bag then the bag is tied to close it tightly. The soil is then left for 7 days for full sterilization. After the 7 days it is then poured out of the pp bag and spread on a clean surface and turned thoroughly using a clean tool to aerate it. This helps to dissipate toxic gases formed during the sterilization process. The soil is left alone for 7 days during which it will become safe for planting. Planting:- The seeds to be planted should be soaked in water overnight. The bottom of the pp bag is perforated using a needle. About 10 holes are enough per bag. These holes will allow excess water to drain during the growing of the plants. The soil is then filled into the pp bag then watered to an optimum moisture level needed for germination. Using a stick, four planting holes are made on the soil. The holes should be well spread around the soil surface in the bag. The holes should be about two inches deep. Into each hole some Microbial inoculum is then added. Make sure each hole receives an equal amount of inoculum. Above the inoculum add some soil to cover the holes halfway. Place the seeds into the holes and then spread the soil on the surface to cover the seeds and even the soil surface. Add enough water for the seeds to germinate. Avoid adding too much water which may cause water logging and may wash away useful nutrients away. The bag is then placed in a protected place where it should stay for the next 4 months.
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Growing the kit:- Let the seeds germinate and grow. The plants should be given normal care to grow well. Water the plants regularly during the growing season. Avoid too much watering. They should also be protected form excessive sunlight during sunny days. Preparation of Inoculum:- During the last one week of growth watering is reduced to a minimum just enough to keep the plants from drying. After three and half months of growth stop watering and cut the plants at their bases. The soil is left to dry in a shade while still in the bag for ten days. Avoid exposure to direct sunlight and rain. After the ten days, the inoculum is prepared by pulling up the roots of the plants which should be chopped into tiny pieces (around 5mm or less) and then mixed back into the soil from the trap bag. This mixture of pieces of roots and soil is the inoculum. Using the inoculum:- The inoculum can be used on a wide range of agricultural crops and trees. The strategy here is to have the roots of the crops or the germinating roots to come in contact with the inoculum. Crops can be inoculated in different stages as follows: Inoculating seeds:- Mix 5-10 kg of inoculum with seeds needed to plant one acre then sow the mixture normally. The seeds should be pre-wetted to make the inoculum to adhere to the soil surface. Alternatively a pinch of inoculum can be added into every planting hole. Inoculating during transplantation:- For small seedlings add a tablespoonful of inoculum to planting hole then plant normally. For larger pre-grown seedlings add a handful or more of inoculum to the planting hole. OR Immerse the plant roots briefly in water. Roll the ball of roots on the inoculum to have as much inoculum adhere to the roots of the seedlings then plant normally. Inoculating already growing trees Mix 100g of inoculum with 5 litres of water and stir well. Dig carefully near the base of the tree to reach the lateral roots. Pour the mixture of water and inoculum in the hole. Cover the hole with the soil dug out. Keep watering from the base once a week from the base of the plant. Storage of Inoculum:
The dry inoculum can be stored for up to 6 months at room temperature (20-250C) packed in black polythene bags. The inoculum must be left to dry completely under shade before being packed for storage.
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LIST OF COMMERCIAL PLANTS THAT BENEFIT FROM THIS SYMBIOTIC RELATIONSHIP
Acacia
Carrisa
Fountain Grass
Mountian Laurel
Saltbrush
Agapanthus
Carrot
Fushia
Nasturium
Sequoia
Alder
Cassara
Gardenia
Okra
Snapdragon
Almond
Ceanothus
Garlic
Olive
Sourwood
Apple
Cedar
Geranium
Olive Palm
Soybean
Apricot
Celery
Grape- raisin
Onion
Spengeri Fern
Arauceria
Cherry
Grape- table
Pacific Yew
Squash
Artichoke
Chinese Tallow
Grape- wine
Palms (all)
Strawberry
Ash
Chrysanthemum
Green Ash
Pampas Grass
Sudan Grass
Asparagus
Citrus (all)
Guayule
Passion Fruit
Sugar Cane
Avocado
Clover
Hibiscus
Papaya
Sumac
Bamboo
Coconut
Holly
Paw Paw
Sunflower
Banana
Coffee
Impatiens
Peach
Sweet Gum
Barley
Coral Tree
Jojoba
Peanut
Sweet Potato
Bayberry
Corn (Maize)
Juniper
Pecan
Sycamore
Beans
Cotton
Kiwi
Pepper
Taxus
Beech
Cottonwood
Leek
Pine-apple
Tea
Begonia
Cowpea
Lettuce
Pistachio
Tobacco
Black Cherry
Crab Tree
Ligustrum
Pittosporum
Tomato
Blackberry
Creosote Bush
Magnolia
Plum
Wheat
Black Locust
Cucumber
Mahonia
Podocarpus
Yam
Blue Gramma
Currant
Maiden Grass
Poinsetta
Yucca
Box Elder
Cypress
Mango
Potato
Boxwood
Dodwood
Maples (all)
Rephiolepis
Brazilian Rubber
Eggplant
Marigold
Raspberry
Bulbs (all)
Euonymus
Mesquile
Redwood
Burning Bush
Fern
Millet
Rice
Cacao
Fescus
Mimosa
Rose
Cactus
Fig
Mondo Grass
Russian Olive
Camellia
Forsythia
Morning Glory
Ryegrass
There are many other plants that are not included in this list. Although over 90% of all plants benefit from this symbiosis it is always good to ask to confirm when in doubt. Most weeds, cabbage and beet don‟t benefit from the association.