Keeping in mind how chemical fertilizers affect our environment and what footprints they leave cannot be overlooked by modern farmers. It is why a term has been discovered: sustainable agriculture.

Sustainable agriculture means the implementation of beneficial soil bacteria with organic insecticides and natural fungicides to improve soil fertility and not leave any fatalities in our ecosystem. There are many beneficial bacterial species present in our world, and all have unique capabilities to make agriculture possible.

This article will shed light on beneficial bacterial species and their functionalities for agro-based farming.

Key to Sustainability is Beneficial Soil Bacteria

Almost all soil bacteria stay in the soil microbiome. What exactly does "soil microbiome" mean? The soil microbiome is a region where all organic microorganisms live in the soil.

These microorganisms build a close relationship with the roots of higher plants or free-living organisms within the soil microbiome. This mutual contact among various microbes complements the comprehensive growth and development of plants.

You might be thinking these soil microorganisms consist of only bacteria, but they have a long list of many microbes, along with organic insecticides and natural fungicides too.

The list includes bacteria, fungi, nematodes, protozoa, and archaea, which support plant growth and promotion and play a crucial role in regularising natural nutrient cycles.

One thing is certain: many bacterial species live in the rhizosphere, an area near the root system of any plant. They offer myriad positives, like enhancing soil fertility and soil health.

As per data from biologists, one gram of rhizosphere soil contains billions of microbial cells belonging to hundreds of genera and species. These cells are very significant for providing essential ingredients to plants for satisfying their daily food.

A small amount of beneficial bacterial species, organic insecticides, and natural fungicides is enough to boost the development of plants instead of using chemical fertilizers and pesticides.

Role of Bacteria in the Soil

Soil bacteria are not a kind of pathogen; instead, they are sort of a diverse group that embodies various types of bacterial species. These bacterial species are of different kinds on the basis of their respective structural habitats and environmental conditions.
They are popular for their various functionalities. We mention a list of three types of bacterial species available in the soil, such as

Mutualists

Mutualistic soil bacteria form a close relationship with the root systems of many higher plants. It results in a mutually beneficial system or symbiotic relationship, implying that both get essential benefits from this contact.

Decomposers

Decomposing bacteria play a very significant role in the decomposition or recycling of insoluble nutrients and elements released by plants and fertilizers in the soil. It has the effect of increasing soil fertility and plant growth.

Lithotrophs

Lithotrophs are a herd of many bacteria that utilize inorganic substrates to be a part of various nutrient cycles for plants. For example, sulfur and nitrogen cycles.

Symbiotic Relationships

Beneficial bacterial species form a close relationship, externally or internally, with numerous plants via the rhizosphere. Both get mutual benefits from this close contact.
For instance, bacteria receive shelter and food from the metabolic products of plants and root exudates. This bacterium is Rhizobium spp., which makes its natural habitat within the root nodules of legumes like lentils, beans, soybeans, peas, etc.
In lieu of food and shelter, Rhizobium Spp acts to help in nitrogen fixation by converting atmospheric nitrogen into nitrates in order to make it absorbable for plants or seedlings.
Not only bacteria partake in symbiotic partnerships, but also natural fungi participate in this act. They make bioavailable many necessary nutrients and water for the root system of plants in order to their growth and improvement in their soil fertility.

Decomposers Support Improve Growth

Decomposing bacterial species are responsible for the conversion of dead and decaying organic matter into organic nutrients for the further development of floral existence.

For example, Actinomycetes sp. works even at higher soil PH levels and fulfills the bioavailability of many essential nutrients.

Decomposers also take part in many useful activities, such as

*Combating soil pollution.

*Breaking down harmful chemicals and pesticides into non-toxic or simpler compounds.

*Boosting soil-health

*Making nutrients available

The addition of organic insecticides and natural fungicides improves the capability of decomposers to a further limit.

Free-Living Non-Symbionts

Non-symbionts do not build a close association with plants; instead, they offer benefits in a different way. For instance, free-living non-symbiont bacterial species belong to genera like Bacillus, Agrobacterium, Pseudomonas, etc.
Pseudomonas sp. changes insoluble forms of atmospheric sulfur and phosphorus into soluble forms and releases them into the soil for the consumption of plants.

Aid to Tolerate Abiotic Stress

Several plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria induce a large variety of enzymes to tolerate abiotic stress. Certain rhizobacteria are beneficial in the alleviation of salinity stress in host plants by releasing many metabolic enzymes.
Examples of rhizobacterial species are Bacillus Megateriu and Pseudomonas species, which are popular for the production of many enzymes.

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