In China, agriculture has played a crucial role in feeding 22% of the world’s population with only 7% of the world’s arable land. However, overuse of chemical fertilizers has led to soil slackening, acidification, eutrophication of water bodies, and soil-borne diseases which all undermine plant growth. The solution to this problem lies in the use of microbial fertilizers which have become increasingly popular in recent years.
Microbial fertilizers contain beneficial microorganisms that activate soil and improve soil grain structure, making a stable soil structure that is conducive to crop growth. Highly active microorganisms can multiply quickly in the soil, creating microscopic channels that improve soil permeability, prevent loss of nutrients, and ensure soil fertility. They can also form antagonistic relationships with harmful bacteria, reducing the incidence of pests and diseases. This reduces the need for pesticides and, in turn, reduces soil pollution.
Microbial fertilizers also help in the efficient use of fertilizer in the soil. The soil has accumulated a lot of nutrients because of the prolonged use of chemical fertilizers which have not been consumed by plants. The metabolites produced by microorganisms have a high number of amino acids that improve the use of nutrients, increase the fertilization capacity of the soil, and make nutrients available for crops. Moreover, microbial fertilizers contain various beneficial microorganisms that use soil nutrients through secondary metabolites to create growth-promoting substances.
Some beneficial microbial organisms can use airborne nitrogen, discharged from degraded soils, to provide plants with nutrition. This ensures that they survive in the soil for longer, enhancing their vitality. Additionally, microbial fertilizers improve the quality and yield of agricultural products and reduce soil pollution, making them more conducive to plant growth.
The bacteria in microbial fertilizers create different biological enzymes and natural hormones that promote root growth and development, improve soil fertility, and simultaneously form chelates with nutrients required by crops, decreasing soil fixation of these nutrients. Microbial fertilizers can improve the physical and chemical properties of the soil, decompose plant and animal residues, mold soil humus, and facilitate formation of soil granule structure that makes the soil lax, improves water retention, and fertility. The health of soil is a necessary precondition for sustainable and long-term agricultural growth.