BIO FERTILIZERSAGRICULTURE AND CHEMICALS TECHNOLOGY

BIO FERTILIZERS

NFL manufactures and markets three types of Bio-Fertilizers, Rhizobium, Phosphate Solubilishing Bacteria (PSB) and Azetobactor. Starting with a mere 23 MT production in 1995-96, the production has risen to 204 MT (Approx) in 2007-08. The Company presently markets its bio-fertilizers in Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Uttrakhand, Chattisgarh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab, Haryana & Rajasthan.

Bio-fertilizers are used to supplement chemical fertilizers as also to maintain soil fertility; besides the following:-

1. Bio-Fertilizers are Supplement to Chemical Fertilizers.2. Bio-Fertilizers are cheap and can reduce the cost of cultivation.
3. Fix Biological Nitrogen in the soil, which is readily available to the plant.
4. Increase crop yield by 4-5% on an average.
5. Improve soil properties and sustain soil fertility.
6. Provides plant nutrient at low cost and useful for the consecutive crops.

The applicability of Bio-Fertilizers marketed by NFL of different crops is as under:

Name of Bio-Fertilizers	Contribution	Most Beneficiary Crop
A. NitrogenBio-Fertilizer 1. Rhizobium(Symbiotic)	a) Fixes 50-300 Kg. N/hactre b) Leaves residual nitrogen for succeeding crop. c) Increase yield by 10-35% d) Maintains soil fertility.	Pulse Legumes : Gram, Peas, Lentil, Moong, Urd, Cowpea, Arhar. Oil Legumes : Groundnut and Soyabeans. Fodder Legumes : Barseem, Lucorn. Forest Legumes : Sababul, Shisam, Shinsh.
2. Azetobactor (Non-Symbiotic)	a) Fixes 20-40 mgN/g of C-Source b) Produces growth promoting substances like vitamin B groups, Indole acetic acid and Giberellic acid. c) 0-15% increase in yield. d) Maintains soil fertility. e) Biological control of plant diseases by suppressing some plant pathogens.	Wheat, Jowar, Barley, Maize, Paddy, Mustard, Sunflower, Sesamum. Cotton, sugarcane, banana, grapes, papaya,watermelon, onion, potato, tomato, cauliflower, chilly, lady finger, rapseed, Linseed, tobacco. Mulberry, Coconut, spices, fruits, flowers. Plantation crops, forest plants
B) Phosphorous Bio-fertilizer 1. P.S.B. Phosphate solubilising Bacteria	a) Solublizes insoluble phosphate. b) Increases yield by 10-30%. c) Produce enzymes which mineralise organic phosphorous to a soluble form.	Non-specific : All Plants.