23 Dec Biofertilizers for Potato productivity under North-Western and North-Eastern hills
उत्तर-पश्चिमी और उत्तर-पूर्वी पहाड़ियों के अंतर्गत आलू उत्पादकता बनाए रखने के लिए जैव उर्वरक Biofertilizers can play an important role in potato crop which has higher nutrients need because of its sparse root system. The acidic hill soils of north western and north eastern hills have P fixing problem, thus it becomes imperative to adopt environment friendly approaches through integrated use of bio-fertilizers, chemical fertilizers and organic manures in right proportion for ensuring optimum potato yield. Nitrogen bio-fertilizers enhance the soil N availability by fixing the atmospheric nitrogen into plant usable-N by symbiotic or non-symbiotic fixation, whereas, P solubilizing bacteria (PSB) or fungi from phosphate bio-fertilizers produce organic acids which in release soluble P from native or insoluble P form of organic P and phosphate minerals. Bio-fertilizers refer to living organisms capable of augmenting plant nutrient supplies through use of renewable resources. They can be broadly classified as nitrogen or phosphorus bio-fertilizers. In potato, mainly non symbiotic N fixer, PSB and plant growth promoting bacteria have been found beneficial in rainfed, particularly in hills. In these ecosystems, potato is cultivated during summer season and soils contain high organic matter. These soils are acidic in nature and therefore, more P fixation take place into insoluble compound of Al and Fe ions. The use of...