Do you know what Azotobacter is and what the Azotobacter function is? This article will answer everything about this particular nitrogen-fixing bacteria that helps plants boost their growth and soil in enhancing their fertility.
Growing and cultivating healthy & fertile soil involves the usage of natural biofertilizers, and Azotobacter is one of them. This biofertilizer significantly helps in nitrogen fixation and plant growth. These tiny bacteria live in the soil and turn the air into plant food.
Please scroll down to understand more about the azotobacter biofertilizer and how it boosts soil fertility.
What is Azotobacter?
There are nitrogen-fixing bacteria in the genus Azotobacter that are free-living and very important in soil ecosystems. These bacteria can convert atmospheric nitrogen (N2) into forms usable by plants, a process called nitrogen fixation. Even though it is abundant in the atmosphere, most plants cannot use atmospheric nitrogen directly. This gap is filled by Azotobacter, which converts atmospheric nitrogen into ammonia or other nitrogen compounds that plants can take up.
Functions of Azotobacter
Being a versatile and beneficial bacterium, the azotobacter function is not limited to nitrogen fixation but includes the below as well. Below are the several functions of this biofertilizer that contribute to soil fertility and plant growth, which include:
Nitrogen Fixation
Azotobacter Nitrogen Fixation: This is the primary function of Azotobacter. It has been found that it can change atmospheric nitrogen (N2) into ammonia (NH3) or other nitrogen compounds that plants take up and use for their growth. In return, this activity leads to increased nitrogen content in the soil, a vital nutrient for plant development.
Produces Growth-Promoting Substances
Azotobacter produces various growth-promoting substances, for example, auxins, gibberellins, and cytokinins, among others. Additionally, they promote root development and the overall vigor of plants through these substances.
Solubilize Minerals
Azotobacter can solubilize specific minerals in the soil and make them more accessible to plants. Solubilization results in improved nutrient availability and uptake by plants.
Secretes Enzymes
Azotobacter secretes enzymes, including proteases and cellulases, and helps break down complex organic compounds in the soil. Enzyme secretion helps in the decomposition of organic matter and releases nutrients for plant plant utilization.
Enhances Soil Structure
The metabolic activities improve the soil structure. The azotobacter biofertilizer produces a polysaccharide substance that binds soil particles together and creates a more stable and well-aerated soil environment.
Promotes Root Nodule Formation in Legumes
As previously stated, this bacteria is free-living, and as such, it connects with the roots of leguminous plants and leads to the production of root nodules. These nodules are home to nitrogen-fixing bacteria, which help legumes meet their nitrogen requirements.
Biological Control
Some Azotobacter strains have been reported to have antagonistic effects against some plant diseases. This shows that Azotobacter could play a role in biological control by reducing the growth of hazardous soil-borne diseases.
Applications of Azotobacter (Azotobacter Uses)
Majorly these biofertilizers are used as:
Biofertilizer
So yes, this azotobacter is mainly used as a biological fertilizer. Now, you don’t have to spend money on costly chemical fertilizers for your garden or farms. These bacteria are like plants’ living fertilizer factories. They change the air into nitrogen, an essential nutrient for plants to grow well. This nitrogen increase helps plants grow larger and healthier while also cutting the requirement for chemical fertilizers.
It’s like giving your plants a natural energy boost! Azotobacter is especially good for crops like corn, rice, and wheat, which are not legumes. It gives them an extra boost of nitrogen they would usually miss out on.
Composting
Composting is how nature recycles food scraps into nutrient-filled dirt. Sometimes, it can be slow for that heap of leaves and shells to change into gold. Then, the Azotobacter comes into action! These fast eaters munch on plant stuff, making it break down quickly and turning your compost into strong food for plants. It’s like having little cooks in your compost pile, making a yummy meal for your garden.
Bioremediation
This bacterium makes the bad soil or dirty water clean. These bacteria can eat harmful chemicals and pollutants, breaking them into safe things. This makes them possible leaders in clearing out dirty areas and making water cleaner. It’s like having a small group of nature-loving helpers working quietly to keep our world healthy.
Mass Multiplication of Azotobacter
Growing lots of Azotobacter, which is suitable for plants, means increasing the number of these helpful bacteria in a safe place. It’s like making a small team of soil heroes to use as natural fertilizers, help improve compost, and clean the environment.
Here’s how it works:
Start with a small sample: Scientists start with a clean batch of Azotobacter, either taken from the dirt or bought in an expert lab. This example helps us begin the process of multiplying.
Provide controlled conditions: Azotobacter needs special conditions to grow well. Scientists make a special soup or liquid mix full of food and essential elements like nitrogen and phosphorus. We also carefully watch the heat and sourness of the soup.
Store and move naturally: The soup with Azotobacter is put in special containers like fermenters or flasks and shaken around, often using a shaking tool. This copies how soil moves naturally and spreads nutrients and oxygen all around the plants.
Feasting and multiplying: With an excellent place to live and enough food, the Azotobacter starts quickly making more of itself. They split up and grow fast, making their numbers millions or billions in just a few days.
Ready for application: When the correct number of Azotobacter cells is reached, they are gathered up and made ready for different uses. Some can be used right away as biofertilizers, while others need to be put with stuff like dirt or peat moss for easier use and storage.
Making many copies helps to make Azotobacter a useful and easy-to-get tool for good farming ways that lasts long and cleans the environment well. By making a lot of these good bugs, we can use their unique skills to make the dirt richer, speed up breaking down trash, and even fix places with dirty stuff.
Conclusion
Azotobacter is a tiny wonder that helps our world in significant ways. These small dirt heroes open up the power of sky nitrogen, giving strength to plant growth and making soil health better. More than just their ability to fix nitrogen, they also help plants grow better. They protect them from stress and even clean up the environment.
By using Azotobacter a lot in farming and making it into a biofertilizer, you can grow good crops that last long. This will help the environment while providing lots of food. As we learn more about the tiny living things in the soil, let’s remember how important they are for helping grow life from superficial dirt.
