`Azotobacter: An Option For Nitrogen Fertilizer Substitution: A Detailed Review

Nitrogen being a limiting factor for crop production, the supply of nitrogen to the crops has been more chemical-based, affecting soil health and sustainability in the long run. Because of the significance that biofertilizers play in crop productivity, there is a growing area of research in the agricultural sector on the use of beneficial bacteria as biofertilizers. It keeps the soil healthy, enhances plant nutrition, boosts organic matter content, and keeps the soil pH stable. Farmers’ bio-fertilizer usage is beneficial for raising crop yield and boosting farmer revenue. Azotobacter could be one of the biofertilizer options for sustainable and environmentally friendly maize production in areas where chemical fertilizer is scarce. Azotobacter is being researched for its ability to fix nitrogen in soil and has a good impact on soil quality, growth, yield, and biochemical characteristics. Different findings have demonstrated the impact of Azotobacter in increasing the grain yield and yield attributing characters. Azotobacter provides nutrients to the plants by different mechanisms of nitrogen fixation, creation of phytohormones, and enhancement of nitrogen uptake. Azotobacter can be a biological regulator to improve environmental adaptability and crops’ ability to use soil nitrogen. Therefore, Azotobacter is viewed as a potential substitute for chemical fertilizers where soil health and sustainability are of major concern.