In general, it can be said that any substance that contains one or more essential elements such as (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, sulfur, calcium, magnesium, iron, manganese, molybdenum, copper, boron, zinc, chlorine, sodium, cobalt, vanadium and silicon) is called fertilizer. Therefore, fertilizer is used to increase soil fertility; The types of fertilizers that are often used to grow indoor plants are divided into several different types; These fertilizers include: chemical fertilizers, organic fertilizers and biological fertilizers. In this article, we will fully review the last type, i.e., biological (bio)fertilizers; Stay with us in the future.
Biological fertilizers contain microorganisms that stimulate and increase plant growth when used on seeds, root surface or in the soil. Today, chemical fertilizers have greatly helped farmers in increasing the amount of agricultural products; However, excessive consumption of these fertilizers is harmful because in addition to causing air and water pollution, they also deplete the soil of minerals. Therefore, it is necessary to move towards organic agriculture, one of the pillars of which is the use of "biofertilizers".
What is biological fertilizer?
"Bio" means life. Therefore, it can be said that biological fertilizers are micro-organisms that are able to convert soil nutrients into nutrients such as vitamins and other minerals in a biological process and deliver them to plant roots. In fact, these fertilizers are new fertilizers that are produced by some useful microbes.
Advantages of using biological fertilizer
Biological fertilizers refer to the use of microbes instead of chemicals to increase soil nutrition. As a result, they cause less damage to the soil and also prevent its pollution; And this is what organic farming cares about because they are completely environmentally friendly. Biological fertilizers are capable of better absorption of nutrients by the plant, that is, they convert the nutrients needed by the plant from a form that cannot be used by the plant to a form that can be used. The use of biological fertilizers improves the growth of plants, while the stability and health of the soil also increases. Biological fertilizers are low-cost renewable sources of plant nutrients that complement chemical fertilizers.
Benefits of biological fertilizers
1. Biological fertilizers are a means to increase the availability of nutrients in the soil.
2. Since a biological fertilizer is technically alive, it can communicate with plant roots through symbiosis. The microorganisms involved can easily convert complex organic matter into simple compounds, so that they can be easily absorbed by plants. Microorganisms improve soil fertility in the long term. Biological fertilizer preserves the natural habitat of the soil. It increases crop yield by 20-30%, it replaces chemical nitrogen and phosphorus by 30% and stimulates plant growth. Biological fertilizer can also protect the plant against drought and some soil-borne diseases. It has also been shown that to produce more crops, biofertilizers with the ability to fix nitrogen and solubilize phosphorus will have the greatest possible effect.
3. They increase shoot and root growth of many crops compared to controls. This can be important when growing new seeds. Biofertilizers also promote healthy soil and lead to greater sustainability in agriculture.
The importance of biological fertilizers
Biological fertilizers are important for the following reasons:
1. Biological fertilizers improve soil texture and plant performance.
2. Biological fertilizers do not allow pathogens to flourish.
3. Biological fertilizers are environmentally friendly and affordable.
4. Biological fertilizers protect the environment from pollutants because they are natural fertilizers.
5. Biological fertilizers destroy many harmful substances in the soil that can cause plant diseases. It has been proven that biological fertilizers are effective even in semi-arid conditions.