Microorganisms like bacteria, fungi, and protozoa play a crucial role in making soil fertile, essentially creating a thriving ecosystem beneficial for plants. Here's how:

Decomposition and Nutrient Cycling:

• Breaking down organic matter: Microorganisms feast on dead plant and animal matter, decomposing them into simpler forms like nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium) and organic compounds. These nutrients are then readily absorbed by plant roots, promoting their growth.📷Opens in a new window📷www.frontiersin.orgMicroorganisms decomposing organic matter in soil
• Nitrogen fixation: Certain bacteria, like Rhizobia, have the unique ability to convert atmospheric nitrogen into a plant-usable form. This process, called nitrogen fixation, replenishes the soil's nitrogen content, a vital element for plant growth and protein synthesis.

Soil Structure and aeration:

• Binding soil particles: Microorganisms secrete sticky substances that hold soil particles together, improving soil structure and preventing erosion. This allows for better water infiltration and retention, crucial for plant health.📷Opens in a new window📷www.frontiersin.orgMicroorganisms binding soil particles
• Creating air pockets: As microorganisms move through the soil, they leave tiny air channels, facilitating proper air circulation to plant roots. This aids in respiration and nutrient uptake by plants.

Disease suppression and protection:

• Competition for resources: Beneficial microorganisms compete with harmful pathogens for space and resources, hindering their growth and protecting plants from diseases.
• Antibiotic production: Some bacteria produce natural antibiotics that suppress the growth of harmful bacteria and fungi, further safeguarding plant health.

Plant Growth Promotion:

• Hormone production: Certain microorganisms produce plant growth hormones like auxin and cytokinin, stimulating root growth, shoot development, and overall plant health.
• Increased nutrient availability: Microorganisms solubilize minerals and nutrients locked in the soil, making them more accessible for plant uptake.

Therefore, plants depend on microorganisms in the soil for their very survival and growth. These tiny organisms act as nature's decomposers, recyclers, and protectors, creating a fertile and healthy environment for plants to thrive. In essence, a thriving soil teeming with microorganisms is the foundation for a flourishing plant ecosystem.

Here are some additional things to keep in mind:

• The diversity of microorganisms in the soil is essential for maintaining a healthy ecosystem. Different microbes play different roles, and a balanced community is crucial for optimal soil fertility.
• Practices like excessive use of pesticides and herbicides can disrupt the delicate balance of soil microorganisms, harming plant growth and overall soil health.
• Sustainable agricultural practices like crop rotation, cover cropping, and composting can help promote a healthy soil microbiome and enhance soil fertility.

By understanding and appreciating the vital role of microorganisms in soil fertility, we can encourage practices that promote a healthy soil ecosystem, leading to healthier plants and a more sustainable future.

Dr Murtadha Shukur thank you for your contribution to discussion

Microorganisms increase the availability of nutrients and that increase soil fertility

Dr E. A. M. Awad thank you for your contribution to discussion

Soil microorganisms promote the decomposition of organic matter by secreting enzymes. The changes of biochar on soil enzyme activity are affected by the interaction between biochar, enzymes, and enzyme substrates. The active sites of biochar can absorb or desorb enzymes and their substrates. Soil fertility can be further improved by incorporating cover crops that add organic matter to the soil, which leads to improved soil structure and promotes a healthy, fertile soil; by using green manure or growing legumes to fix nitrogen from the air through the process of biological nitrogen fixation. They increase soil fertility by incorporating air, minerals and nitrogenous compounds. They contribute in increasing plant growth by providing essential elements, minerals that plants cannot utilize by their Owen. Microorganisms decompose organic matter to simpler form that can be easily uptake by plants. Manure is the organic matter mainly animal feces and straw. It adds nutrients (nitrogen) in the soil, which increases the soil fertility.Rhizobium is a bacterium found in soil that helps in fixing nitrogen in leguminous plants. It attaches to the roots of the leguminous plant and produces nodules. These nodules fix atmospheric nitrogen and convert it into ammonia that can be used by the plant for its growth and development. Beneficial microorganisms have been shown to play a role in atmospheric nitrogen fixation, organic wastes and residues decomposition, detoxification of pesticides, suppression of plant diseases and soil-borne pathogens, enhancement of nutrient cycling, and production of bioactive compounds such as vitamins, hormones. Free-living microbes including filamentous fungi of the genus Trichoderma and a variety of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) are able to suppress soil-borne plant pathogens and to stimulate plant growth by different direct or indirect mechanisms, such as production of phytohormones, mycoparasitism. Both plants and microorganisms obtain their nutrients from soil and change soil properties by organic litter deposition and metabolic activities, respectively. Microorganisms have a range of direct effects on plants through, as manipulation of hormone signaling and protection against pathogens. Soil microorganisms are responsible for most of the nutrient release from organic matter. When microorganisms decompose organic matter, they use the carbon and nutrients in the organic matter for their own growth. They release excess nutrients into the soil where they can be taken up by plants. By far, the most numerous microbes in soil are bacteria, which have just one cell. Also abundant are fungi, which produce long, slender strings of cells called filaments, or hyphae. The actinomycetes are in-between these two organisms. They are advanced bacteria that can form branches like fungi.