Biofertilizers as substitute to commercial agrochemicals

Abstract Biofertilizers are preferred alternatives to chemical fertilizers for improving the overall health status of plants. Besides being environment friendly, biofertilizers showcase other important features, including their sustainability within agricultural soils. During the last century, increasing use of commercial agrochemicals resulted in bioaccumulation of varied contaminants within the agricultural soils and nearby water bodies. Furthermore, studies have confirmed the biomagnification of these chemical entities in different trophic levels through the food chain. Effective and environment friendly means of removal of these contaminants from the ecosystem remain a challenge in sustainable agricultural practice. In the present chapter, commercial agrochemicals that influence the present agricultural practice are discussed in detail. Furthermore, an overview of the plant growth–promoting microorganisms and their role as biofertilizers is highlighted. The concluding part of the chapter summarizes the use of rhizoengineering as a method of choice to favorably alter the soil composition using plant growth–promoting microorganisms. Such an approach might be useful in replacing commercial agrochemicals and facilitating sustainable agricultural practice.