Biofertilizer and Consortium Development: An Updated Review

To boost crop yield on arable land, fertilizers have been extensively utilized. A country may become food-self-sufficient by using more chemical fertilizers in agriculture, yet chemicals are harmful to the environment and living things. Biofertilizers are organic substances that make use of microorganisms to increase the fertility of soil, which helps safeguard the soil's health and also the quality of crop products. Biofertilizers provide nutrients through natural processes like nitrogen fixation, phosphorus solubilization, and plant growth-inducing chemical synthesis. There are some important microorganisms that are used in biofertilizer production: Azotobacter, Azospirillum, Phosphobacter, and Rhizobacter. There is a significant growth result when the biofertilizers are inoculated with two or three microorganisms rather than a single one, i.e., a consortium. On co-inoculation of the microorganisms show to stimulate plant growth, nodulation and nitrogen fixation. Other microorganisms, like Pseudomonas and Bacillus, act as an effective biocontrol system. Some microorganisms are able to survive in a vast range of environments, expecting synergistic modes of action. They are also environment-friendly and responsible for the continuous availability of nutrients from natural sources. This review describes the importance of biofertilizers, widely used strains, and their potential significance in crop production.