Preface

Great attention has been paid to reduce the use of conventional chemical fertilizers harming living beings through food chain supplements from the soil environment. Therefore, it is necessary to develop alternative sustainable fertilizers to enhance soil sustainability and agriculture productivity. Biofertilizers are the substance that contains microorganisms (bacteria, algae, and fungi) living or latent cells that can enrich the soil quality with nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium, organic matter, etc. They area cost-effective, biodegradable, and renewable source of plant nutrients/ supplements to improve the soil-health properties. Biofertilizers emerge as an attractive alternative to chemical fertilizers and as a promising cost-effective technology for eco-friendly agriculture and a sustainable environment that holds microorganisms which enhance the soil nutrients' solubility leading a raise in its fertility and stimulate crop growth and healthy food safety.

This book provides in-depth knowledge about history and fundamentals to advances biofertilizers, including latest reviews, challenges, and future perspectives. It covers fabrication approaches and various types of biofertilizers and their applications in agriculture, environment, forestry, and industrial sectors. Also, organic farming, quality control, quality assurance, food safety, and case studies of biofertilizers are briefly discussed. Biofertilizers' physical properties, affecting factors, impact, and industry profiles in the market are well addressed. This book is an essential guide for farmers, agrochemists, environmental engineers, scientists, students, and faculty who would like to understand the science behind the sustainable fertilizers, soil chemistry, and agroecology, etc.

Chapter 1 focuses on the various action mechanisms observed in microorganisms, those that drive effective biofertilizer functions for forestry-related utilization. Besides, the chapter discusses the factors influencing the success of forestry-related biofertilizer applications as well as the current use and prospects of biofertilizers in the forestry sector.

Chapter 2 highlights the impact of applying biofertilizers on horticultural crops including the possible mechanisms, leading to improved crop growth and stress tolerance. Possible challenges of biofertilizer application and recommended solutions to these problems are also discussed to ensure the efficient use of biofertilizers in the horticulture industry.

Chapter 3 discusses various microorganisms which as act as biofertilizers and also the nitrogen-fixing bacteria including different symbiotic and asymbiotic nitrogen-fixing microbes and other substitutes for easy making of biofertilizers. The major focus is given to innovative methods, for example, growing of microorganisms, accumulation of microorganisms, and conveniences for distribution, applying, and framing of microorganisms for moving from greenhouse and laboratory to field test.

Chapter 4 highlights the usefulness of organic manure in biofarming. Various types of agrochemicals have spoiled our life, environment, and ecosystem. This chapter provides a detailed discussion about how organic manure can save the life of our earth and how it is better than agrochemicals.

Chapter 5 reviews the scientific literature on environmental phosphorus pollution and mechanisms of phosphate solubilization through intact bacteria and fungi or their enzymes. Moreover, inoculation methodologies, factors affecting the inoculum efficiency, and applications of single or multiple species as promising biofertilizer components for sustainable and ecological farming practices are summarized.

Chapter 6 reviews plant-microbe associations occurring both exo- and endophytically on different plant species. The beneficial and pathogenic outcomes of these interactions are discussed, highlighting the microorganisms and the plants involved. Furthermore, the importance of research of these interrelationships is considered concerning use in agriculture for the development of agricultural agents.

Chapter 7 discusses the different formulation technologies of biofertilizers used to mitigate the harmful effects of chemical fertilizers. The complete formulation process is discussed, highlighting the significance of each step, i.e., types of selected microbes, choice of suitable carrier, and addition of sticking materials while unifying the biofertilizer formulation.

Chapter 8 describes the scope of exploiting efficient transgenic microorganisms produced by genetic engineering strategy as potential biofertilizers to enhance the yield of crops through the sustainable farming approach. Furthermore, environment-friendly benefits of utilizing various types of microorganisms alternative to chemical fertilizers in improving soil fertility of agricultural lands are also emphasized.

Chapter 9 intends to provide detailed information on the application of biofertilizer as a sustainable biotechnological tool that could lead to an increase in agricultural production. Detailed information is provided on the modes of action of these biofertilizers while specific examples of cases where biofertilizer has been utilized for improving an increase in agricultural production are also discussed.

Chapter 10 discusses the various characteristic properties, utility, and challenges of free-living nitrogen-fixing bacteria of the genus Azospirillum as a commercial inoculant, aimed to enhance the nitrogen availability in the soil for sustainable agriculture. Mechanistic routes aiding in nitrogen fixation by the bacteria are comprehensively elaborated.

Chapter 11 discusses the beneficial role of actinomycetes in the field of sustainable agriculture. Its unique ability to mitigate soil ecosystem and to promote plant growth by producing important agro-active substances is highlighted. Also, the role of actinomycetes to serve as a potential and efficient source of biofertilizer is discussed.

Chapter 12 discusses the influence of growth conditions and other parameters including morphological patterns of cyanobacterial species, found in biofertilizer quality and nutrients richness.

Chapter 13 provides the positive influences of biofertilizers' application on agricultural sector via improving the productivity and yields of the crop. Further, it discusses the role of biofertilizers' production and promotion, with a viable option to chemical fertilizers that have minimized the productivity of the crop with negative impacts on soil, water bodies, or environment components.

Chapter 14 provides detail informationabout the necessity of quality control of biofertilizers. Quality supervision is crucial and should be achieved constantly to manage the microbial products in support of the clients. The rules applied for calculating the quality are restricted to the concentration and viability of the microbes.

Chapter 15 focuses on the significance of biofertilizers with their microbial composition having an edge over chemical fertilizers. The emphasis is on recent advances in preparation, mechanism, growth promotion, carrier materials, and production system of biofertilizers. The chapter also discusses the prospects of biofertilizers along with its advantages and limitations.

Chapter 16 provides an in-depth understanding of biofertilizers and the various approaches available for their preparation. The chapter ends with some prospects and recommendations needed for further improvements in the development, preparation, and application of biofertilizers to achieve green, cleaner, and sustainable food production.

Chapter 17 discusses the use of biofertilizers based on waste recycling as a potential substitute for chemical fertilizers. Initially, an overview of biofertilizers is presented. Furthermore, the main sources of organic waste are discussed, as well as the appropriate treatment processes. Finally, emerging technologies and the main applications of biofertilizers are presented.

Chapter 18 clearly describes the know-how of biofertilizer technology, its segments, and a brief description of the types of biofertilizer available in the market. The highlight of the chapter is the recent trend in biofertilizer technology: liquid biofertilizer, its merits over conventional fertilizers, and future potentials.

Chapter 19 discusses the current situation on the application of biofertilizer in Africa and their mechanism of action. Different types of biofertilizer that have been introduced are also highlighted. Moreover, specific examples are cited where biofertilizer has led to an increase in agricultural production.

Chapter 20 focuses on various types of biofertilizers, their properties, significance, preparation, production, uses, and outcome. It also focuses on experimental designing on screening and selection of microbes and their optimization as biofertilizers. The chapter also deals with the success of biofertilizers, their limitations, and new approaches to overcome constraints.

Chapter 21 discusses the use of microorganisms in the form of biological fertilizers. It also discusses the characteristics and features of different formulations in which the biofertilizers are used extensively. The chapter highlights the development and recent advances in biological fertilizer and its performance.

Chapter 22 covers the biodiversity of algae and biochemical constituents of algal biofertilizers with the effects on plant growth and yield. The state-of-the-art techniques for the mass cultivation of algae are also part of the discussion. This...