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Fungi and Their Potential as Biofertilizers

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Microbiota and Biofertilizers, Vol 2

Abstract

We have witnessed the doubling of human population during the past four decades along with the continuous replication of food production as well. In this scenario of increasing demand for the supply of food, plant nutrition has played a very important role. Man-made fertilizers have made it possible that there has been an increase in crop production. Because of their ability to control plant diseases and to increase the crop production in an environmentally friendly manner, fungal biofertilizers have been recently promoted for various agricultural uses. Several fungal biofertilizers in this regard have been used for commercial production, and it has also been noted that they play a very important role in promoting plant growth and productivity and also in improving soil fertility. Fungal biofertilizers include plant growth-stimulating fungi, compost producing enzymatic fungi, P-solubilizing fungi, and K-solubilizing fungi. Phosphate-solubilizing fungi help in the harnessing of phosphate that is available in the soil-plant systems and then making it available to the plants. They help in the solubilization and mineralization of phosphate that is present in the organic and inorganic form in the soil and in this process help in the improving growth and yield of a wide variety of crops. It has been seen that the use of phosphate-solubilizing fungi as common phosphate fertilizers has been a promising strategy that has helped to improve global demands of better agricultural productivity, reduction of soil fertility, water pollution, as well as accumulation of toxic wastes. It has helped in providing an environmentally suitable agro-technique that has helped in providing enhanced agricultural sustainability. This book chapter will mainly focus on the fungi that have the potential to be used as biofertilizers besides looking at their merits and demerits.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Zoology, S.P. College, Cluster University Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India

    Irfan-ur-Rauf Tak

  2. Department of Environmental Science, Sri Pratap College, Cluster University Srinagar, Higher Education Department, Jammu and Kashmir, India

    Gowhar Hamid Dar

  3. Division of Environmental Science, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir, Jammu and Kashmir, India

    Rouf Ahmad Bhat

Authors
  1. Irfan-ur-Rauf Tak
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  2. Gowhar Hamid Dar
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  3. Rouf Ahmad Bhat
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environmental Science, Sri Pratap College, Cluster University, Higher Education Department, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India

    Gowhar Hamid Dar

  2. Division of Environmental Science, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir, Jammu and Kashmir, India

    Rouf Ahmad Bhat

  3. Government Degree College, Pulwama, Jammu and Kashmir, India

    Mohammad Aneesul Mehmood

  4. Department of Biological Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

    Khalid Rehman Hakeem

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Tak, IuR., Dar, G.H., Bhat, R.A. (2021). Fungi and Their Potential as Biofertilizers. In: Dar, G.H., Bhat, R.A., Mehmood, M.A., Hakeem, K.R. (eds) Microbiota and Biofertilizers, Vol 2. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-61010-4_11

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