Can bio-fertilizers be considered as a sustainable farming method?
I believe that natural fertilizers are more effective than synthetic ones.
Yes. Its Eco-friendly, so it will sustain the fertility of soil, accordingly it sustain the farming method.
The three areas of most impact to our environment related to agriculture are the widespread usage of ammoniated nitrogen fertilizaer, synthesized phosphates and pesticides. A bio fertilizer by replacing the large carbon foot prints of these practices can work to improve the sustainability of our food systems and can be considered sustainable and regenerative farming practices. In more natural systems of agriculture the bottom becomes the ability to reduce synthetic agriculture inputs and optimization of the soil state by building soil organic matter. Soil organic matter is largely made of carbon and nitrogen both of which can be harvested by plants and microbes from the air itself. Sustainable farming is build on biological inputs their diversity and leveraging symbiosis through Rhizobia bacteria and mycorrhizal fungi. In the area of biofertilizer the use of mycorrhizae can optimize crop results utilizing about one quarter of the dose without optimized symbiosis. This symbiosis can be optimized through inoculation of appropriate mycorrhizae. The use of ammoniated nitrogen can be completely eliminated with the proper employment of Rhizobia inoculation which fix Nitrogen. As the soil organic matter is build up by biological diverse system the use of inputs are no longer of critical importance.
Dear Dr. Waqas Al-Joboory, biofertilization is a very good tool for desert reclamation and sustainable agriculture.
http://www.plantsjournal.com/archives/2017/vol5issue2/PartC/5-2-22-838.pdf
Yes, but biofertilizers alone is not enough, it can supplement organic manures and fertilizers to maintain soil fertility. Definitely, it would reduce the use of chemical fertilizers and thus contribute to sustainability.
Yes.I hear that rabbit Urine is being sold as a high quality natural biofertilizer
Cowdung, urine, biochar, etc. are organic manures or organic materials added to soil to improve soil conditions in a sustainable way. A biofertilizer is a preparation containing live or latent cells of efficient strains of microorganisms, which are applied to seed, soil, or composting areas, with the objective of increasing their population and augmenting availability of nutrients to plants. These are also part of sustainable farming.
Yes the use of bio fertilizer is a form of sustainable agriculture, but it is not the only form but one of the states that helps in such a system of farming.
A bio-fertilizer is an organic fertilizer which contain microbes hence it is different from other types of organic fertilizers such as compost, manure, biochar, etc. The microbes in the bio-fertilzer facilitate the mineralization rate of nutrients to plants and consequently increase plant growth and yield when compare to other organic fertilizers especially during first season after incorporation.
The use of bio-fertilizer is a sustainable farming approach however, most bio-fertilizers have pH more than 8 due to high NH3 volatalization and consequently kill the microbes in the fertilizer.
Sustainability is responsible management of resources consumption. An example is to encourage farmers to forward their crop residues to paper, board, and biofuel industries, instead of just burning them, which damage both the economic value of residues, human health, and the environment. The below mentioned article discusses many related aspects. Happy new year.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/315427845_Agricultural_Residues_Wastes_for_Manufacture_of_Paper_Board_and_Miscellaneous_Products_Background_Overview_and_Future_Prospects?_sg=GY_MT-L2PQW5q5k6gUHyXMrv-Es6gjM_ijuplIGh9S8x0Pj7AJTw_f2kHkXfpkCePxUi5_DFQcIDVksr70arsLmqif8yOfEXmoXbwtel.ydLEia72EOPmTjdDbCaMedI1Pk22OX2vVFcJNN661V5ADWGHw_-ygT9ood-Rgekn0TV6q54_KnFIrfA1a6m9XQ
Article Prospects of Organic Farming for Sustainable Agriculture and...
@Tamar, why not returning those crop residues into the soil? Those crop residues contain some amount of nutrients and sending them to a factory will contribute to nutrient mining....
I would like to add to this discussion the fact that......it depends! If the bio-fertilizer is produced and used at the farm than its employment is sustainable. If the same has to be acquired/purchased from outside the farm, than its use in the land cultivation process loses sustainability.
I believe that natural fertilizers are more effective than synthetic ones.
If cow manure is shipped around the world for its use in remote areas it may not be considered a sustainable practice based on the carbon foot print. The use on the farm might be a completely different story.
Dear Waqas Al-Joboory,
In my opinion, yes, biofertilizers are an element of sustainable organic farming if, in addition to these bio-fertilizers, no chemical plant protection products are used.
I wish you the best in New Year 2019.
Best wishes
Only biofertilizer can not maintain production. It is complementary not substitute of chemical fertilizer. So both must go side by side. Chemical for food security and bio for soil security
Yes, at some extent bio-fertilizer cab be considered as a sustainable farming method but application of 100 % bio-fertilizer as a nutrient source can never be considered as a sustainable farming method because, bio-fertilizer alone not able to provide sufficient amount of nutrient as demanded by plant for their higher potential yield.
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