Orientations from my side. 1) Soil-scientists can trigger www-based state-of-knowledge conferences, exchanges, blogs, etc. on the potential of beneficial soil micro-organisms for agric. production and biodiversity in general. This can avoid wastig funds for research on issues which are done and can contribute to quick application of promising research-results for a crop-demanding, fast growing world. 2) The Nitrogen-"factories" with / in Rhizobium-bacteria / nodules are well established and in use worldwide; however systematic utilization, application and practice in general plant-production is not yet done. The mineral fertilizer industries / multinational agro-chemical companies will act against such efforts. Still: these types of micro-organisms are not the only ones transforming areal N into plant-nutritents. Contributing to better, systematic understanding of these beneficial interrelations can feed millions and billions. 3) The carbon-dioxide produced by other soil-microorganisms while decomposing organic matter is the chemical pre-requisite for photosynthesis, thus any crop-production. In greenhouses gardeners are "fertilizing" with CO.2  and old foresters were "harvesting" CO.2 by dense enclosure-hedges around tree-plots. 4) The beneficial interrelations of crops in mixed planting (permaculture, organic-farming, etc.) are based also on microbiotic synergies, allelopathys. Systematic compilation of experience from practical work would be an important function of science-workers in this field. 5) The complex diversity in soils, its complexity itself hides still many beneficial relations & dimensions which can boost agric. production. 6) Terra-Preta approach: see the fantastic potential: science can contibute to translate this on large scale into equally fantastic yield-increases.

Hi dear Yu.

You can understand the effect of soil microorganisms on production by using a simple test.

you should cultivate two similar plant in two separate dish in which one containing of common soil and other one heated soil that has no organism. after test you will find that which one will have most  growth and production.

Beneficial soil micro-organisms plays a significant role in modern agriculture towards increasing productivity of different crops, maintaining soil fertility status, reducing environment pollution.Use of chemical fertilizers can be partially substantiated using bio-fertilizer mainly nitrogen fixing and phosphate solubilizing micro-organisms  which may lead to maintain soil fertility,reducing the deleterious effect of chemical fertilizer . The most horrible aspect of modern chemical input based intensive agriculture is that chemical fertilizer is not responding as before and the farmers are bound to increase its use to maintain productivity of crop. As a result soil health is being deteriorated day by day , environment is being polluted and cost of cultivation is being increased.So to achieve sustainability in agriculture and to provide food security to the ever growing population of the world alternative agricultural approach must be adopted.By applying the beneficial soil micro-organisms(mainly nitrogen fixing and phosphate solubilizing micro-organisms) in the form of bio-fertilizer, injudicious application chemical inputs can be gradually reduced maintaining soil fertility as well as increasing trend of crop productivity.

@Manas, can you provide some examples of such bio-fertilizers? Or can anyone else? I would love to know how widely used certain bio-fertilizers are.

Thanks Jacob.

Actually some beneficial micro-organisms(Nitrogen fixing & Phosphate solubilizing etc.) are incorporated in soil in root zone of different crops or mixing with seeds  (Selective strain) or some times on crops as prophylactic spray mixing it with some suitable carrier materials  in the form of bio-fertilizer.Here I am giving you the name of some beneficial micro-organisms as given below.

Nitrogen fixers:(Non-symbiotic, free-living)  Azotobacter chrooccum, A. agilis, A. paspali, A. vinelandii etc   

  Symbiotic Nitrogen fixers: Rhizobium leguminoserum ( for Pea etc), R. phaseoli(for bean etc.) R. Japonicum ( for Soyabean etc.) R. trifolli (for clover etc.)  Selection of strain is also very important. As suitable Rhizobium strain for Pea is P-10-76; for Gram - F-6, F-75, H-45 etc.

Phosphate Solubilizing Micro-organisms- Bacillus polymyxa, B. circulans, Pseudomonas striata, P. putida, Aspergillus awamori etc

I have already mentioned in my previous answer that bio-fertilizer is being widely used by different scientists through out the world to substantiate (replace!) the injudicious application of the dreadful chemical fertilizers as well as different chemical inputs, which is polluting our environment, reducing soil fertility status as well as profitability of the farmers.  

With regards.   

In addition to the above replies, nutrient availability in the soil itself is regulated by microbes. Besides the conventional farming,  in the organic farming concept all soil organisms including microbes dictate the crop productivity. 

The essence of soil Health is based on the microbial activities that harbour the soil. It is more than evident that the microbial make up which is dictated by the soil environment natural and/or affected by agricultural activities will in turn determine the crop that the soil will support more efficiently.  Consequently the understanding of the limiting and promoting factors to the beneficial soil organisms can only improve and promote agricultural productivity!

Azoto ber , Rhizo ber are expensive and difficult to produce by farmers. In South Gujarat, India (at our farm), farmers are using wormiside fertilizer, very good and eazy to produced. In tree shadow in field, earth worm(seed) are fed with animal/human manure with soil, spraying water daily, produced fertilizer in 20 to 25 days, is used which are having small earth worm and seeds in it, and hence make the spoiled land (by chemical fertilizer and canal hard water irrigation) more porous and re useable in short time,and the large, earth worms waiting for second batch of fertilizer to be made. For best result, after spreading fertilizer, do light cultivate, then irrigate the land. 

Thanks  Bhupendra

Most probably you have mentioned about vermicomposting. Definitely it is a good option, if the farmers can produce vermicompost on their own in their own field and apply in their field because it contains different beneficial micro-organisms, enzymes, hormones, humic acids.... etc. But , commercially is it viable for the farmers to use vermicompost maintaining profitability? For an example one acre of paddy field require minimum 5 qtls of vermicompost. Considering the production cost, 1 Kg of vermicompost costing minimum about Rs. 5 . So only for applying vermicompost in one acre of paddy field a farmer have to spend about Rs. 2500. In the initial phases vermicompost can only substantiate a part of chemical fertilizer......So, Considering all the in-put cost, will it be viable for the farmers to use vermicompost in large scale?  

In case of bio-fertilizer containing nitrogen accumulating ( Azototobacter/ Rhyzobium etc) or PSB costing of one Kg of bio-fertilizer is maximum about Rs. 80. Maximum dose of bio-fertilizer ( considering crop, way and place of application, strain, climate ........ etc) maximum about 5 kg. So, costing for application of bio-fertilizer in one acre of land  maximum is about Rs. 400. Bio-fertilizer can also substantiate a part of chemical fertilizer and has a long term beneficial effect.

 So, paying full respect to your ideas, I am requesting you as well as all my friends to promote use of bio-fertilizer among the farmers to increase productivity of different crops maintaining harmony with the ever increasing population as well as soil fertility status.

with regards

Dear Jacob Yu

In addition, you will find useful information in the following articles and websites. Articles include:

(1) S Compant et al (2010) Plant growth-promoting bacteria in the rhizo- and endosphere of plants: Their role, colonization, mechanisms involved and prospects for utilization. Soil Biology & Biochemistry.

)2) Bernard R. Glick (2012) Plant Growth-Promoting Bacteria: Mechanisms and Applications. Scientifica.

Whereas the websites are also informative:

(1) Biotechnology: Role of Microbes In Sustainable Agriculture And Environmental Health

https://ispub.com/IJMB/10/1/14136#

(2) Beneficial and Effective Microorganisms for a Sustainable Agriculture http://www.agriton.nl/higa.html

(3) Beneficial Microbes for Agriculture

http://www.noble.org/ag/research/microbes/

(4) THE ROLE OF MICROBES IN AGRICULTURE - OTC

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CCYQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fotc.nfmf.no%2Fpublic%2Fnews%2F12380_2.pdf&ei=yjvgVJbqOIG9UO7gg_AG&usg=AFQjCNHdy7ovzG_rXq36R0UY8ZCEh--xxA&cad=rjt

Elsiddig

https://ispub.com/IJMB/10/1/14136#

http://www.agriton.nl/higa.html

http://www.noble.org/ag/research/microbes/

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CCYQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fotc.nfmf.no%2Fpublic%2Fnews%2F12380_2.pdf&ei=yjvgVJbqOIG9UO7gg_AG&usg=AFQjCNHdy7ovzG_rXq36R0UY8ZCEh--xxA&cad=rjt

Beneficial organism   Beneficial or pestEdit InsectsEdit NematodesEdit MicroorganismsEdit AnimalsEdit PlantsEdit   IssuesEdit

In agriculture and gardening, abeneficial organism is any organismthat benefits the growing process, includinginsects, arachnids, other animals, plants,bacteria, fungi, viruses, and nematodes. Benefits include pest control, pollination, and maintenance of soil health. The opposite of beneficial organisms are pests, which are organisms deemed detrimental to the growing process.

The distinction between beneficial and pest is arbitrary, subjectively determined by examining the effect of a particular organism in a specific growing situation.

Beneficial insects can include predators (such as ladybugs) of pest insects, and pollinators(such as bees, which are an integral part of the growth cycle of many crops). Increasingly certain species of insects are managed and used to intervene where natural pollination or biological control is insufficient, usually due to human disturbance of the balance of nature.

Certain microscopic nematodes (worms) are beneficial in destroying and controlling populations of larvae that are damaging or deadly to crops and other plants. They are commonly used in organic gardening for their ability to kill various kinds of harmful larvae (fungus gnats, flea larvae, spidermites,weevils, grubs, rootworms, cutworms, etc.)

Many different soil microorganisms are responsible for nutrient recycling (for one, through decomposing plant residues) and other soil building and maintaining activities. Mixed culture of beneficial microorganisms such as photosynthetic bacteria (Rhodopseudomonas sp) lactic acid bacteria (lactobacillus sp.), yeast (saccharomyces sp.) and fermenting fungi[1] can positively improve the soil fertility as well as plant productivity. Productive Microbes as an effective alternative tool for manipulation and managing the overall microbial ecology of complex and diverse systems.

Birds and other animals may, by their actions, improve conditions in various growing situations, and in such cases are also beneficials. Birds assist in the spread of seeds by ingesting the fruits and berries of plants, then depositing the seeds in their droppings. Other animals, such as raccoons, bears, etc. provide similar benefits.

Plants that perform positive functions can also be considered beneficials (companion planting is one technique based on principle of beneficial plants).

In agriculture, controversy surrounds the concept of beneficial insects. Much of this has to do with the effect of agrichemicals, likeinsecticides, herbicides and large quantities of synthetic fertilizers, on what are considered beneficials. Citing the reduction or elimination of various organisms as a side effect of agrichemical-based farming, some argue that critical damage is being done to theecosystem, to the point where conventional agriculture is unsustainable. For example, if bee populations are reduced by insecticides aimed at other pests, pollination is inhibited and crops don't appear. If soil microorganisms are killed off, natural soil regeneration is inhibited, and reliance on mechanical and chemical inputs to keep the soil viable is increased. The longer term impact of these conditions has not been determined. Commercial ventures currently exist to provide pollinators and biological pest control.