Constrains in Biofertilizer Development and Environmental Factors Influencing its Survival in Soil: A Review

Bio-inoculants (Biofertilizer) are an agricultural input that helps to keep the environment clean. By definition biofertilizers are efficient strains of isolated microorganisms that help plants grow in a variety of ways, both directly and indirectly. Biological nitrogen fixation, phosphate solubilization, phosphate mobilisation, siderophore generation and phytohormone production are some of the direct methods. The majority of efficient bio-inoculants perform better in laboratory conditions but fail to achieve the same results in the field. Due to the poor performance of bio-inoculants in field conditions, biofertilizers are not widely accepted by the farming community. Soil pH, temperature and chemical residues are considered as important abiotic stress. The key soil biotic elements are native microflora, predatory organisms and virus. Some bacteria are able to live despite the stress, but the total efficacy of the applied biofertilizer is diminished. Bio-inoculants must resist a variety of biotic and abiotic stresses in the soil, depending on the circumstances. We look at the obstacles that bio-inoculants confront in terms of survival and performance in the field.