Cyanobacterial biofertilizers as an alternative to chemical fertilizers in paddy fields: a review

Abstract

In India, rice is the most significant crop in terms of the total area of cultivation and fertilizers. Distributed in 44.7 million hectares, it accounts for 31.8% (5.34 million tons) of the net use of the chemical fertilizer. Continuously using chemical fertilizers in agricultural production poses a severe environmental risk. The cost of chemical fertilizers is expensive and contributing to less crop yield. There is a need to adopt alternatives for chemical fertilizers in paddy fields. Cyanobacteria are abundant in paddy fields, and it presents remarkable contribution in producing the rice crop. It fixes atmospheric nitrogen, increases the accessibility of available phosphorus, and produces innumerable plant growth promoting factors. It requires sunlight as the source of energy for carbon and nitrogen fixation in the soil. It represents remarkable potential as a biofertilizer and thereby decreases fuel demand for chemical fertilizer production. Cyanobacterial biofertilizers are inexpensive, simple to use, and do not harm the environment. This review focuses on the potential application of cyanobacterial biofertilizers in paddy fields.