Increase Root Mass and Yield of Your Crops
How Biofertilizers Can Increase Root Mass and Yield of Your Crops. Biofertilizers are living microbes that enhance plant nutrition by either by mobilizing or increasing nutrient availability in soils. Various microbial taxa including beneficial bacteria and fungi are currently used as biofertilizers, as they successfully colonize the rhizosphere, rhizoplane or root interior. Biofertilizers can improve the growth and yield of crops by 10–40% and also have positive effects on soil health and nutrient use efficiency.
Benefits of Biofertilizers
One of the main benefits of biofertilizers is their ability to increase root mass and surface area, which allows for better uptake of water and nutrients from the soil. Root mass is influenced by several factors, such as soil type, moisture, temperature, pH, organic matter, and microbial activity. Biofertilizers can modulate these factors by producing plant growth regulators, enzymes, organic acids, siderophores, and other metabolites that stimulate root development and branching .
Some of the most widely used biofertilizers for enhancing root mass are arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR). AMF are symbiotic fungi that form associations with the roots of most plants and extend their hyphae into the soil, creating a network that increases the effective root volume. AMF can improve plant access to phosphorus, nitrogen, zinc, copper, and other micronutrients, as well as enhance plant tolerance to drought, salinity, and pathogens . PGPR are bacteria that colonize the root surface or interior and promote plant growth by various mechanisms, such as nitrogen fixation, phosphate solubilization, iron chelation, phytohormone production, and biocontrol . PGPR can also increase root mass by inducing changes in root morphology and architecture, such as increasing root length, diameter, surface area, volume, and number of lateral roots .
Application of Biofertilizers
The application of biofertilizers can have significant impacts on crop yield and quality, as well as on soil fertility and sustainability. Biofertilizers can increase crop yield by 8.5–20% depending on the crop type and climatic region . Biofertilizers can also improve crop quality by enhancing the nutritional value, flavor, aroma, shelf life, and resistance to pests and diseases of the harvested products . Moreover, biofertilizers can reduce the need for chemical fertilizers and pesticides, which can have negative effects on the environment and human health. Biofertilizers can also improve soil properties such as organic matter content, microbial biomass, enzyme activity, aggregate stability, water holding capacity, and carbon sequestration.
In conclusion, biofertilizers are a promising technology for improving crop production in a sustainable way. By applying biofertilizers to your crops, you can increase root mass and yield, as well as enhance soil health and nutrient use efficiency. However, to achieve optimal results with biofertilizers, you need to consider several factors such as the type of crop, soil condition, climate, inoculation method, dose, timing, and compatibility with other inputs. Therefore, it is advisable to consult with experts or conduct field trials before using biofertilizers on a large scale.
If you have questions about the use of Biofertilizers or microbials inoculants, Contact Custom Biologicals today!
