Yogesh Kumar Negi
College of Forestry (VCSG UUHF), India
Title: PGPBs can enhance nutrient use efficiency of the host plant and thereby yield and nutritive quality of the crop
Biography
Biography: Yogesh Kumar Negi
Abstract
The challenges to meet out the food requirement of the burgeoning population and plateauing productivity of agricultural lands can only be met by increasing crop productivity. Use of inorganic chemicals and fertilizers enhances the crop productivity. However, the continuous and rather irrelevant use of these chemicals is reducing the amounts of essential nutrients (Carbohydrates, amino-acids, vitamins, etc.) in the important crops. Such produce may satisfy the over all agricultural production. But, with less nutrients, such products can not be recommended to fight against malnutrition that affects around 13% of the world population. Additionally, such chemicals in long run may result in poor soil fertility, disturbed soil ecosystem and may increase environmental and groundwater pollution. Traces of such chemicals have already been reported to be deposited in agricultural produce, therefore, consumption of such products may cause serious health problems in human beings. The harmful effects of agrochemicals raised a concern among the scientific community and provoked to search other avenues to earn better productivity. One of the approaches is the use of a beneficial group of bacteria such as plant growth promoting bacteria (PGPB) as a bio-agents to enhance the soil fertility and crop productivity as well. PGPBs ameliorate plant health and productivity by enhancing the nutrient status of soil and host plants subsequently. The bioavailability of nutrients, their increased uptake may significantly enhance the nutrient use efficiency of plants that further contributes to increase crop yield. A significant increase in crop yield has been achieved with PGPBs application on the crop. Studies suggest that such bacteria help the host plant to uptake the soil nutrients and upregulate the plant efficiency to accumulate and convert these nutrients into yield. Use of such effective PGPBs can also enhance the nutritive value of the crops. Higher amounts of carbohydrates, proteins, amino acids etc. have been reported in different crops in different studies. Therefore, it can be suggested that regular use of such effective PGPBs by farmers may increase the soil fertility, crop yield and its nutritive value. Ultimately, this will lead towards food and nutrition security under the organic farming framework in general, and sustainable crop production in particular.