There are six primary nutrients that plants require. Plants get the first three—carbon, hydrogen and oxygen—from air and water. The other three are nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium.

Nitrogen helps plants make the proteins they need to produce new tissues. In nature, nitrogen is often in short supply so plants have evolved to take up as much nitrogen as possible, even if it means not taking up other necessary elements. If too much nitrogen is available, the plant may grow abundant foliage but not produce fruit or flowers. Growth may actually be stunted because the plant isn't absorbing enough of the other elements it needs.

Phosphorus stimulates root growth, helps the plant set buds and flowers, improves vitality and increases seed size. It does this by helping transfer energy from one part of the plant to another. To absorb phosphorus, most plants require a soil pH of 6.5 to 6.8. Organic matter and the activity of soil organisms also increase the availability of phosphorus.

Potassiumimproves overall vigor of the plant. It helps the plants make carbohydrates and provides disease resistance. It also helps regulate metabolic activities.

There are three additional nutrients that plants need, but in much smaller amounts: Calcium is used by plants in cell membranes, at their growing points and to neutralize toxic materials. In addition, calcium improves soil structure and helps bind organic and inorganic particles together.

Magnesium is the only metallic component of chlorophyll. Without it, plants can't process sunlight.

Sulfur is a component of many proteins.

Finally, there are eight elements that plants need in tiny amounts. These are called micronutrients and include boron, copper and iron. Healthy soil that is high in organic matter usually contains adequate amounts of each of these micronutrients.

1. Rhizobium -
This belongs to bacterial group and the classical example is symbiotic nitrogen fixation. The bacteria infect the legume root and form root nodules within which they reduce molecular nitrogen to ammonia which is reality utilized by the plant to produce valuable proteins, vitamins and other nitrogen containing compounds. The site of  symbiosis is within the root nodules.

 2.  Azotobacter -

It is the important and well known free living nitrogen fixing aerobic bacterium. It is used as a Bio-Fertilizer for all non leguminous plants especially rice, cotton, vegetables etc. Azotobacter cells are not present on the rhizosplane but are abundant in the rhizosphere region. The lack of organic matter in the soil is a limiting factor for the proliferation of Azotobaceter in the soil.

It belongs to bacteria and is known to fix the considerable quantity of nitrogen in the range of 20- 40 kg N/ha in the rhizosphere in non- leguminous plants such as cereals, millets, Oilseeds, cotton etc.

4. Cyanobacteria- 

A group of one celled to many celled aquatic organisms. Also known as blue-green algae                                      

Azolla is a free floating water fern that floats in water and fixes atmospheric nitrogen in association with nitrogen fixing blue green alga Anabaenaazollae. Azollafronds consist of sporophyte with a floating rhizome and small overlapping bi-lobed leaves and roots. Azolla is considered to be a potential biofertilizer in terms ofnitrogen contribution to rice.

The more nutrients that are available to plants, the higher the yield. Mineral nutrients are known to circulate through a chain of plants, soil and animals, but it is soil microorganisms that change these nutrients into a form available to plants. In sustainable agriculture, it is important to make full use of all microorganisms in order to promote the circulation of plant nutrients and reduce the use of chemical fertilizers as much as possible.

Biological nitrogen fixation is a biological process catalyzed by the enzyme nitrogenase. This process converts atmospheric nitrogen (N ₂), which is not in itself available to plants, into the form NH ₄ which plants can use. The cost of using biological nitrogen fixation in agriculture is low compared to chemical fertilizers, and saves energy. Biological nitrogen fixation is carried out by several organisms, mainly microorganisms, in natural ecosystems.

Effective rhizobium strains should be taken from rhizobium present in nodules rather than those present in the soil, since the soil is not generally a selective medium

An important problem is how to estimate the degree of compost maturity. Farmers making compost on their own farms need a simple, reliable method. The germination test is the standard method used to evaluate compost quality, but this may not be easy or convenient for farmers to use. A new infrared technique is being developed, byut this may be too expensive and complicated. Experienced farmers can evaluate compost by its smell, and also by its texture when handled - if it feels sticky, the moisture content is probably too high.

Another problem is the permissible levels in compost of heavy metals. These tend to persist in the food chain and are often present at high levels in organic materials, particularly livestock manure and municipal wastes. While some countries such as USA have fixed maximum limits, it was recommended at this workshop that the concentration of heavy metals in compost should not be higher than the level found in background soil.

The quality of compost made by small-scale producers tends to be highly variable. Differences in the N, P and K content reflect differences in the quality of the raw materials which are beyond the control of the producer, but the wide variation in pH and ammonium N content deserve more attention. Ideally, compost should have a pH of around 7, but in practice the pH is often higher than this, sometimes resulting in symptoms of iron deficiency. A high ammonium content is probably because insufficient time has been given for the compost to mature. It was recommended at the training workshop that extension specialists and scientists working with farmers should find out which factors are responsible for poor quality in compost, and find the means to correct them.

Few synthetic fertilizers can reproduce the benefits of organic compost. Compost naturally buffers alkaline and acidic soils, releases nutrients more slowly than synthetic fertilizers, provides macro- and micro-nutrients not available synthetically and, best of all, costs nothing to make. You only need four things to make nutrient-rich compost: air, water, carbon and nitrogen. Carbon, provided by brown waste, gives the microbes energy that helps them break down organic matter; nitrogen, provided by green waste, supplies the microbes with proteins; air and water fuel the composting process. It might take some time, but if you make a habit of collecting those spent flower heads, leftover apple cores and peeled potato skins, you’ll soon have enough compost to fertilize your landscape organically

1

Set a compost bin that measures at least 34 cubic feet in volume away from your home and away from things that attract nuisance animals, such as bird feeders and fruit trees. Compost naturally attracts animals, but prefabricated bins designed for compost have secure-fitting lids and mesh over the air vents to help deter them. If using a homemade bin, give it some protection against pests, such as a secure-fitting lid and a 1/4-inch wire-mesh wrapping. Line the bottom of your compost bin with 1 inch of straw.

Set up a compost container in your kitchen to collect viable green waste for your compost pile. Green kitchen waste that composts well includes egg shells, used coffee grounds, tea bags, vegetable scraps, fruit trimmings and nut shells. Remove any items that won’t compost, such as food packaging, bones or other animal-based waste.

Chop large pieces of kitchen waste by hand or in a food processor until they measure 2 inches or less. The smaller the pieces, the quicker they compost. Add the green waste from the kitchen container to your compost bin every day or every time it fills up.

Collect viable brown waste from your yard and garden using a rake and add it to your compost bin. Plant-based waste that works well in a compost pile includes wood chips, leaves, grass clippings, vines, hay, straw and shrub and plant trimmings.

Chop any plant-based waste using a composter or a mower with a mower bag until it measures 2 inches or less. Remove any diseased or seedy, highly invasive weeds, such as Bermuda grass or bindweed, and throw them away.

Collect and chop thorny wood and large limbs and branches and let them compost separate from other plant-based waste. These items take a long time to break down, and slow the compost rate of other waste. Add these items after they decompose after one or two years.

Add some fresh manure to your compost to jumpstart it if desired. Although not required, fresh manure has a large amount of nitrogen that gets your compost hot faster and quickens decomposition of the whole pile. Add an amount of manure equal to about 25 percent of the total volume of compost bin.

Water the compost lightly until just moist. You want the compost to stay barely moist at all times to maintain an environment conducive to decomposition. Mix your compost heap well using a long-handled fork or shovel. Keep the lid closed on your compost.

Check the internal temperature of your compost pile once a week using a compost thermometer. Your compost should have an internal temperature ranging from 140 to 160 degrees Fahrenheit. Turn the compost pile with the fork or shovel when the temperature drops below 140 degrees Fahrenheit. You can add your compost to your plants when it stops heating up in the center.

Biofertilizers are living microorganisms, generally beneficial bacteria and beneficial Trichoderma fungi,  that help plants utilize nutrients more efficiently. Malaysian agriculture and Malaysian farmers would greatly benefit from the use of bio fertilizer. Used properly, biofertilizers have been shown to be very cost effective for farmers and agricultural concerns.

Custom Biologicals manufactures a number of biofertilizers for use in agricuture. Biota Max™ is a biofertilizer that would be ideal for use in Malaysia. Biota Max is a small effervescent tablet that contains billions of beneficial microorganisms. These microbes, help the pant grow a bigger, more efficient root system.

Custom Biologicals – Home of Biota Max

Custom Biologicals manufactures and distributes a wide variety of biological products for use in a number of industries, including agriculture. We’re always looking for new distributors. Contact Custom at Bill@Custombio.biz or at (561) 797-3008.

Each rapidly dissolving tablet contains billions of beneficial soil bacteria and beneficial soil fungi. Together these microorganisms are scientifically formulated to restore soil productivity and promote plant growth.

The beneficial soil microorganisms in Biota Max™ will help your plants grow stronger, healthier root
ystems while using less nitrogen fertilizers.

Seed germination, root development, and plant growth depend on soil microorganisms. Increase soil microorganisms and grow bigger with Biota Max™.

Now, a team of University of Minnesota scientists is working on a sustainable alternative. Led by Brett Barney, Ph.D., assistant professor of bioproducts and biosystems engineering with the U’s College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences, the team is genetically editing a type of bacteria that naturally produces nitrogen to make it produce a much greater amount of the nutrient. That nitrogen, in turn, will fertilize the soil and steadily supply crops with the nutrients they need to thrive. Ultimately, the team aims to develop a new standard for supplying Minnesota’s key crops — like corn and wheat — with reliable nutrition to meet the growing demand for food, while curbing the environmental side effects of injecting ammonia-based fertilizers into the soil.

The project is part of the state-funded MnDRIVE Transdisciplinary Research Program, where researchers from different departments work beyond the limits of their disciplines to address complex challenges.

“In nature, these bacteria are independent microbes that happen to provide only slight benefits to the plants around them as a side effect of their own metabolism or eventual death,” Barney said. “What we’re trying to do is tweak the bacteria to more efficiently produce this nitrogen that can serve as natural fertilizer, essentially forming a partnership between the bacteria and the crops they support. All of our experiments are showing that the potential is there.”

On their own, these “nitrogen-fixing” bacteria — which pull nitrogen from the air and convert it into various nitrogen products — supply too little fertilizer to support crop growth. But by removing specific parts of the bacteria’s genetic code, Barney and his team can block certain processes in how the bacteria break down waste material, resulting in a build-up of excess nitrogen that the bacteria eventually release into the soil. In the lab, Barney has been able to determine which bacterial test colonies best produce high levels of nitrogen through the use of a biosensor he designed that turns blue when nitrogen compounds are present.

Barney and his team have already succeeded in getting nitrogen-fixing bacteria to fertilize water-based plants like algae. Results of these studies, recently published in Applied and Environmental Microbiology, were used as “proof of concept” for the potential of doing similar projects with conventional crops.

Why work to develop a bacteria-based fertilizer when farmers can use ammonia? One reason is that it can save farmers money, replacing the high cost of transporting and handling ammonia fertilizer on its way from the production plant to the farm with the lower cost of shipping live bacterial cultures.

There are also environmental benefits. Unlike ammonia fertilizer that is injected into the soil, the researchers hope to make the bacteria produce nitrogen as compounds with lowered solubility, making it less likely to wash away from fields and contaminate nearby waterways. Industrial nitrogen production also contributes to climate change, as it contributes to the levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

Finally, there’s the safety component: While the bacteria are harmless to humans, ammonia in its gas form can irritate the eyes, nose, skin and throat, and even be fatal if inhaled in high concentrations, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

While fertilizing a field through bacteria is an exciting prospect, it will take extensive experimentation to find the ideal conditions that help plants thrive.

Craig Sheaffer, Ph.D., professor of agronomy and plant genetics, is leading the effort to move the bacteria out of the lab and into real soil, but adapting that process to land-based plants poses a challenge. Before any testing can happen in actual fields, Sheaffer will run experiments in controlled greenhouses to understand how different variables affect the plant’s growth, like the type of soil used, the amount of oxygen available and, of course, the type of genetically modified bacteria used.

The researchers will also examine how well this type of bacteria can stay in the soil before needing to be reapplied. The findings will help them decide whether it’s best to apply the bacteria when tilling a field, or if there’s a more effective way to ensure the bacteria take hold, such as by selling farmers pre-treated packages of soil. The bacteria may need to be applied several times in succession before they begin to last longer and treatments can become less frequent, Barney said. If, on the other hand, the bacteria prove highly efficient and try to make too much nitrogen, the limited food supply available to them in the soil will prevent them from overproducing.

If successful, Sheaffer said bacteria-based fertilizers would be appealing to farmers who are looking to cut down on both shipping costs and runoff. But it may prove especially interesting to organic crop farmers, who are unable to inject ammonia into their fields but still need to supply nutrients to their crops.

“They still need a good source of nitrogen to gain high growing yields,” Sheaffer said. “If this technology works in the field, you can imagine how important it would be to organic farmers.”

As Barney works on editing the bacteria’s genetics and Sheaffer monitors progress in the greenhouse, their fellow researchers are digging into other aspects of the project.

Neil Olzewski, Ph.D., professor of plant biology with the College of Biological Sciences, is leading studies with model plant systems to determine the potential to increase available carbon from the root systems. Increased carbon would enhance the ability of the bacteria to grow in close association with the plants it is fertilizing. Further studies to determine the potential to utilize stover and wheat straw are being done by students in Barney’s lab along with assistance from Sheaffer.

As the technology comes together, Gary Sands, a professor of bioproducts and biosystems engineering like Barney, will investigate how to transition the biofertilizer technology from the development phase to actual farms, where Minnesota’s farmers can put it to use.

While the experiments are still in the early stages, Barney and Sheaffer anticipate the team will see significant progress following upcoming tests in the greenhouse this summer.

“This project illustrates how applying technology to a very practical problem can have huge benefits for agriculture,” Sheaffer said. “I’m excited that MnDRIVE has invested in this.”