Over a few years, the use of bio-fertilizers gets rid of humans from the hazardous effects of chemical fertilizers on food, soil, health, and the ecosystem. They are made of organic matter acquired from animals, plants, and microorganisms parts, waste, tissues, hormones, or by-products.
Different types of bio-fertilizers are:
1- Jeevamrut
2- Panchaguya
3- Waste Decomposers
1 Jeevamrut
Jeevamrut is a type of bio-fertilizer which is prepared and used in the liquid stage. It is considered as life for plants having medicinal values. It is easy to use and quickly made. It is an excellent source of carbon, nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus, and other nutrients.
1.1 Benefits of Jeevamrut
- Improves water holding capacity of soil
- Increase micro-organisms activity in the soil such as healthy bacteria, earthworms, etc.
- Improves pH values of soil
- Cost-effective and easy to use in 48 hours
- Beneficial for every type of crop
- Increase soil fertility
1.2 Making of Jeevamrut
A mixture of Cow dung, cow urine, jiggery, soil, lentils flour, and simple water are important ingredients of this bio-fertilizer. Mix them and place them for 48hours in a dark area for the fermentation process. Use after 2 days.
1.3 Use of Jeevamrut
Spray 200-liter jeevamrut with distilled water at an acre after a week.
2 Panchaguya
Panchaguya is also known as Punchkayam is a liquid bio-fertilizer mostly used in India. This word is derived from Sanskrit having meanings. The mixture is made up of five components mainly from cows and their by-products and water. This fertilizer is highly nutritious for soil and plant growth. It contains major and minor food nutrients such as potassium, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, growth hormones like Auxins, Gibberellins and has beneficial microbes like pseudomonas, azatobactor, and phosphorus bacteria. It can act as pest and diseases control in soil and plants.
2.1 Beneficial Effects of Panchaguya
- Effects on Plants Plants grow rapidly, have big leaves and dense canopy after the use of panchaguya. Tree branches are dense and roots spread at the vast area and very deep inside the soil.
- Effects on Soil Fertility Panchaguya is best for soil health and increases its fertility by increasing production capacity. It contains all kinds of macro and micronutrients which are essential for plant growth. It works as organic manure, so improves the water holding capacity of the soil. It provides a suitable environment for micro-biotic growth in the soil to control the pest.
- Effects on plants and crops Panchaguya is very effective for the health and rapid growth of all kinds of plants and crops especially cereals like rice, maize, sorghum, barley, vegetables like brinjal, green chilies, capsicum, cauliflower, fruits, tomato, banana, mango, guava, flowers and spices like turmeric.
- Act as a Pest and Disease control agent Organic farmers use panchaguya as a chemical-free pest and insect killer. It contains microorganisms that can easily attack harmful pests and insects. High nutritive compounds make soil strong against any kind of plant disease. Different microbes produce natural organic acid, fatty acids, hydrogen peroxide, and antibiotics against disease attacks.
2.2 Preparation of Panchaguya
Panchaguya is prepared in a large clay pot with mixing cow dung, cow urine, cow milk, cow ghee, curd, jaggery, coconut, ripped banana, yeast with simple water. Keep in a dry, warm and shaded place for at least two weeks for fermentation and filter in muslin cloth after 2 weeks and it is ready to be sprayed on crops.
2.3 Use of Panchaguya
- 3-liter Panchaguya mix with 100-liter water and spray at all crops
- The mixture of water and panchaguya in 3:1 ratio of 52 liters can mix with irrigation water to irrigate the crops
- 3% Panchaguya can use to soak seeds 30 minutes before plantation
2.4 Tips for Farmers
Panchaguya has been used in three ways at plants. Before blossom use once in 15 days, after flowering use once a week, and after fruit maturing age use once a while.
3 Waste Decomposer
Waste decomposers are bio-fertilizers, made of healthy bacteria, used to revive soil health and boost microorganism activity for decomposition of organic waste. Their excessive use can damage the growth of healthy worms in the soil.
3.1 Benefits of Waste Decomposer
- They contain specific bacteria, produce such kinds of organic acids that boost the decomposition process of organic waste and healthy nutrients remain in the soil.
- Soil becomes soft and fertile
- Produces highly nutritive soil
- Increase crop production capacity
3.2 Preparation of Waste Decomposer
They are made of an equal solution of cow dung, water, jiggery and prepare the base for mother culture microbes. Placed in shadow for a week with cloth cover. Use it as a spray or mix with a water solution to get the best results.
3.3 Use of Waste Decomposer
Waste decomposers can be used at any type of organic waste for decomposition purposes. It can directly spray at plants with water solution or mix with irrigation systems to irrigate the crops.
Conclusion
The demand for a pollution-free environment and sustainability has evolved organic farming. People are well aware of the food they are eating and the post-effects on their health, so chemical-free fertilizers are in high demand that is non-toxic. Agro- technologists are paying special attention to the introduction and preparation of bio-fertilizers in the agriculture sector to fulfill this demand and to make earth chemicals-free, healthy, and secure for life.