Cyanobacteria as Sustainable Microbiome for Agricultural Industries

Cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) are the photosynthetic organisms that are widely grown in all sorts of habitats including aquatic and terrestrial environments. Today, the agricultural sector is highly dependent on chemical fertilizers to enhance the crop production in order to meet the demand for food around the globe which have severe negative effects on both mankind and environment. Due to its pool of properties that are beneficial for sustainable agroecosystem, cyanobacterial biofertilizers are eco-friendly and can be an effective and economical alternative for synthetic fertilizers with less input of cost and energy. They can be explored for producing natural fertilizers, which provide positive alterations for both biotic and abiotic components. Cyanobacteria are potential sources of nitrogen fixation, cost-effective, and a major component of the nitrogen-fixing biomass. They have become paramount microbes for producing natural fertilizers, plant growth-promoting hormones, bioactive compounds, etc. These properties enable them in boosting soil fertility, control the activity of other microorganisms, and also can play a role in bioremediation of pesticides, herbicides, and combating pollution attributed to heavy metals and other toxicants as well. The agricultural importance of cyanobacterial biofertilizers is directly related to their nitrogen fixation ability and other effects for plants and enhances soil fertility. This chapter emphasizes on the use of cyanobacteria as a sustainable microbiome and biofertilizer in agriculture sector to enhance crop production and yield.