Beneficial Microorganisms for Stable and Sustainable Agriculture

Abstract

There is immense pressure on farmers to increase crop production for which they injudiciously use synthetic fertilizers and pesticides without thinking about their adverse environmental impact. Apart from affecting the health of the environment and humans, the increased application of synthetic fertilizers also lowers the profit due to their cost. As a result, an agricultural production approach that is environmentally friendly, cost effective, and can increase yield and profitability simultaneously is required. The use of beneficial microbes helps both crop and the soil through a variety of complex methods such as biological fixation of nitrogen, systematic resistance development, antibiotic synthesis, siderophores, organic acids, growth hormones, enzymes, and many others. Some of the commonly used beneficial microorganisms in agriculture belong to the genus Rhizobium, Azospirillum, Bacillus, Pseudomonas, Trichoderma, Cyanobacteria, Streptomyces, Mycorrhizae, etc. The incorporation of these beneficial microbes with modern production techniques can certainly help in improving agricultural production worldwide. This article discusses in brief the benefits of these microorganisms in agricultural production and the mechanisms underlying those benefits.