Microbial approaches: A paradigm shift for nutrient use efficiency

Authors: Adesemoye, Anthony; Watts, Dexter; Torbert Iii, Henry

Submitted to: Book Chapter
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/19/2025
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Emerging technologies that develop biostimulant have opened new opportunities in agricultural sustainability. These technologies have promoted the use of microbial inoculants as an alternative or supplement to traditional chemical input, which has associated problems such as pollution, greenhouse gases, and climate change. The products were developed based mainly on bacteria and fungi. This review examines the ongoing developments in this sector of agricultural industry and analyzes the impediments against broad acceptance as well as the improvements that are needed for better efficacy for these new approaches to better fit into the integrated nutrient management (INM) systems.

Technical Abstract: Emerging technologies in biostimulant development have opened new opportunities in agricultural sustainability. This has promoted the use of microbial inoculants as an alternative or supplement to traditional chemical input to reduce agro-environmental associated problems such as pollution, greenhouse gases, and climate change. Although changes in anthropogenic activities are responsible for the increasing atmospheric concentrations of GHGs, inoculants as drivers of biochemical processes in soil could cause a shift in ecosystem functions and reduction in the production and consumption of CO2, CH4, and N2O. The emerging products are developed based on free-living bacteria, mainly plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) such as Bacillus and beneficial fungi such as arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. The product description varies, including biofertilizer, fertilizer helper, microbial inoculants, biocontrol agent, biopesticide, etc. Generally, the development of microbial approaches for nutrient use efficiency has become a paradigm shift and must be further improved. The biorational/biologicals market is expanding with new products, but enthusiasm of farmers has not matched up with the growth of the sector. This review examines the ongoing developments in this sector of agricultural industry and analyzes the identifiable impediments against broad acceptance as well as the improvements that are needed for better efficacy for these new approaches to better fit into the integrated nutrient management (INM) systems.