Algal Consortia as Green Alternatives: Enhancing Soil Health and Tomato Cultivation
Bijal Patel *
Department of Biotechnology, Shree Ramkrishna Institute of Computer Education and Applied Sciences, M.T.B. College Campus, Surat, Gujarat, India.
Jay Bergi
Department of Biotechnology, Shree Ramkrishna Institute of Computer Education and Applied Sciences, M.T.B. College Campus, Surat, Gujarat, India.
Ratna Trivedi
Department of Environmental Science, Shree Ramkrishna Institute of Computer Education and Applied Sciences, M.T.B. College Campus, Surat, Gujarat, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
The increasing global demand for agricultural productivity, coupled with the environmental drawbacks of synthetic fertilizers, has led to the exploration of sustainable alternatives such as algal biofertilizers. Biofertilizers, composed of live microorganisms, enhance soil fertility by facilitating nutrient mobilization and availability, thereby supporting plant growth and physiological development. In this study used algal liquid biofertilizer and immobilized algal cells as biofertilizers and measured plant growth parameters, nutrient analysis, hormone analysis of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) plants. The experimental design included multiple algal biofertilizer applications, a chemical fertilizer treatment, and an unfertilized control group. Comparative analysis revealed that plants treated with algal biofertilizers exhibit significantly improved growth parameters, elevate nutrient uptake, and enhance hormonal activity compared to those receiving chemical fertilizers. These findings underscore the superior efficacy of algal biofertilizers in promoting plant health and soil quality, highlighting their potential as eco-friendly and sustainable alternatives to conventional fertilizers in modern agriculture.
Keywords: Algal consortiums, effective biofertilizer, sustainable agriculture, Solanum lycopersicum L