Bio-fertilizers: Eco-Friendly Approach for Plant and Soil Environment

The bio-fertilizers have attained a huge attention in the crop lands due to improving harvest yields, decreasing the chemical fertilizers cost, and being less harmful to the environment. Bio-fertilizers could stimulate the growth of plant through either direct or indirect mechanisms. Three biochemical steps are involved in bio-fertilizer preparation that consist of breaking down of complex substances into simpler ones in anaerobic digestion process. Four main stages and three major bacterial groups can be considered in order to simplify this process. Bio-fertilizer can be applied into soil or in seed inoculants for multiple crop production and nutrient cycling. The conditioning property of bio-fertilizer increased the organic matter of the soil which improves soil structure and prevents soil erosion and desertification and increases soil water retention capacity. Therefore, application of bio-fertilizers may serve as low-cost and environment-friendly strategy for a sustainable crop production.