1. Biofertilizers

2. Types of Biofertilizers
Biofertilizers covered under FCO
Other Biofertilizers not covered in FCO
Rhizobium
Azotobacter
Azospirillum
PSB
Mycorrhiza
Acetobacter
Fraturia aurantia
Pseudomonas as PGPR
Mixed cultures
Effective microorganisms

3. Advantages of Biofertilizer Use
N-Biofertilizers can provide 25-30% of chemical fertilizer equivalent N
PSB biofertilizer can provide kg P2O5/ha/season
Mycorrhiza can provide adequate, P, other micro nutrients and help in increased water absorption
Mixed biofertilizer give better impact
Keep soils biologically active
Help in soil health maintenance

4. Economics of biofertilizer use (Liquid)
Biofertilizer/ crop
Quantity required lit/ha
Cost of application (Rs/ha)
Amount of nutrient mobilized kg/ha
Rhizobium in legumes
lit
25 – 35 kg N
Azotobacter/ Azospirillum in non-legumes
0.5 – 2.0 lit
kg N
Azoto+Azosp+PSB
20 kg N + 12 kg P
Mixed inoculants
25 kg N +15 kg P
Mycorrhiza
2.00 – 5.00 kg
20-25 kg P + micronutrients+ moisture

5. Quality Specifications under FCO
Base
Carrier based* in form of moist/dry powder or granules, or liquid based
(ii)
Viable cell count
CFU minimum 5x107 cell/g of powder, granules or carrier material or 1x108 cell/ml of liquid.
(iii)
Contamination level
No contamination at 105 dilution
(iv) pH
(v)
Particles size in case of carrier based material.
All material shall pass through mm IS sieve
(vi)
Moisture percent by weight, maximum in case of carrier based.
30-40%

6. Efficiency Requirement for Strains used
S. No.
Parameter
Specification requirement
(vii)
Efficiency character
For Rhizobium
For Azotobacter
For Azospirillum
For PSB
Should show effective nodulation on all the species listed on the packet.
The strain should be capable of fixing at least 10 mg of nitrogen per g of sucrose consumed
Formation of white pellicle in semisolid N-free bromothymol blue media
The strain should have phosphate solubilizing capacity in the range of minimum 30%, when tested spectrophotometrically. In terms of zone formation, minimum 5mm solubilization zone in prescribed media having at least 3mm thickness

7. Specifications for Mycorrhiza
Form/base
Fine Powder/ tablets/ granules/ root biomass mixed with growing substrate
ii.
Particle size for carrier based powder formulations
90% should pass through 250 micron IS sieve (60 BSS)
iii.
Moisture content percent maximum
8 -12
iv. pH
6.0 to 7.5 v.
Total viable propagules/ gm of product, minimum
100 /gm of finished product V.
Infectivity potential
80 infection points in test roots/gm of mycorrhizal inoculum used

8. Quality control Issues for other Microbial formulations
Studies are being made to define minimum standards and testing protocols for all biological and organic inputs at NCOF
5 biofertilizers and 3 organic fertilizers covered under FCO
Efforts are under way to define standards and quality methods for Trichoderma, Pseudomonas, Mixed cultures, KMB and EM

9. Production Technology
Biofertilizer Carrier based Liquid based
Advantages
Cheap
Easier to produce
Less investment
Disadvantages
Low shelf life
Temperature sensitive
Contamination prone
Low cell count
Less effective
Automation difficult
Advantages
Longer shelf life
Easier to produce
Temperature tolerant
High cell count
Contamination free
More effective
Disadvantages
High cost
Higher investment for production unit

10. Poor Acceptability
Poor Acceptability among farmers may be attributed to:
Inconsistent responses
Poor quality of carrier based products
Sensitivity to temperature and short shelf life
Non-compatibility with chemical seed dressers/ fertilizers
Poor organic carbon in soils
Dependence for supply on Government system

11. Corrective measures needed at production stage
Poor quality unsterile carrier is biggest constraint
Replace lignite/ charcoal with other carriers having high moisture potential
Such as Exfoliated vermiculite, ppt grade silica, Quartz or inert mineral powder enriched with synthetic water holding gels.
All carriers must be sterilized and
Product handling process must be automatic
Product must be free from contamination

12. Liquid Biofertilizers Ideal Solution
Efforts needed to replace existing carrier based system to liquid system as it is:
Easier to produce
100% automation possible
Product can be 100% sterile
Offer higher shelf life, higher cell count
Temperature tolerant
Easy to apply through mechanical means
Under Network Project on Biofertilizers, ICAR has launched liquid formulations. Details available from NCOF/ICAR

13. Need for State-of-the-Art Production units
Certificate of manufacture to be granted only to the competent units
Having fully automatic product handling and packaging system
Carrier sterilization facility
Liquid production units with fully automatic operation be preferred
Small units with manual production systems and small fermenters/shake flask are not successful

14. Corrective measures Needed In Application
Efficiency of biofertilizers depend on organic carbon in soil
Use both as seed treatment and soil treatment
For soil treatment mix with compost
PSB to be used as soil treatment with compost
Mixed application of biofertilizers to be promoted

15. Introduction of Mixed Inoculants
Use of multiple incoulants have proved beneficial over single inoculants
Many producers have launched mixed liquid inoculants having Azotobacter, Azospirillum and PSB.
NCOF has found them suitable with individual count of 1x107 and total count > 5x 108
States can promote use of mixed inoculants
Under Network Project on Biofertilizers, ICAR has launched liquid formulations for such mixed inoculants. Details available from NCOF/ICAR

16. Encourage Direct supply to farmers
Majority of the biofertilizer is being routed through Government agencies which needs to be discontinued
Encourage producers to develop direct marketing channels and supply to farmers directly.
Subsidy can be provided on the lines of chemical fertilizers to the manufacturers or to the farmers directly.

17. Financial Support
Adequate financial support is available under most of the schemes both for capital investment and supply of produce
Subsidy at 25% of TFO up to Rs. 40 lakh available through Banks/NABARD under NPOF
States can also avail assistance under RKVY

18. Need to Harvest growing fixed nutrient reserve
Out of total P, K and micronutrients, 70% gets fixed and remain in soil
Reserve is increasing
Microbial enrichment of soil is only option
Therefore multiple microorganism cultures need to be provided
PSB, KMB, EM and ZnSB application is to resorted on regular basis

19. Mycorrhiza a potential biofertilizer
Mycorrhiza a potential biofertilizer mobilizes P, Fe, Zn, B and other trace elements
Also supplies moisture from far-off niches
Ideal for long duration crops
Such as Sugarcane, fruit plants and plantation crops
Found to be effective in cereals and millet crops also
Being dry powder resistant to contamination and can be stored up to 2 years.

20. Other Biofertilizers
Industry has launched many new biofertilizers. They have been found to be effective and needs to be promoted
Acetobacter diazotrophicus – Endophytic N-fixer in sugarcane
K-mobilizer (Fraturia and Bacillus sp)
Zn- solubilizer (Pseudomonas, Bacillus and Thiobacillus)
EM- Effective microorganisms – a mixture of Yeasts, Lactobacillus and Rhodopseudomonas. Excellent for quick residue degradation and fixed nutrient solubilization