Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria

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  • It is of no use to plants if we simply dump dung and other wastes next to the plant.
  • We have to process them properly before plants can make use of these.
  • Microorganisms exist precisely to carry out this task.
  • Archaebacteria are the best such microorganisms.
  • These thrive in anaerobic conditions and are considered to be the earliest microorganisms that came into being in the course of the evolution of life on earth.
  • We could reap good harvests if we make use of these microorganisms in the proper manner.
  • We will not need to use chemical fertilizers al all.
  • This solution is easy to make using a simple method devised by Mr.G.Balakrishnan.
Ingredients:
  • 20 kg dung
  • 200 liters water
  • 3 kg jaggery
  • 100 grams Myrobalan (kadukkai) powder,
  • 10 grams Liquorice (adhimadhuram).
Preperation:
  • Mix cow dung, Jaggery and water well in a container.
  • Add Myrobalan (kadukkAi) powder to it and mix well.
  • Boil the Liquorice(adhimadhuram) powder in 250 ml water and let it cool.
  • Add the cooled Liquorice (adhimadhuram) solution to the above solution.
  • Fill the rest of the container with water so that there will be no air left inside and close it air-tight.
  • Methane will be formed inside the container.
  • Let the air out of it once in a while by slightly unscrewing the cap for a moment.
  • The solutions will be ready in ten days.
  • The solution will be light brown in colour and having a pleasant smell.
  • This enhances plant growth.
  • The archaebacteria are directly absorbed by plants as well.
  • Other microorganisms also ingest it.
  • We could use this to grow blue-green algae.
  • Mr. Balakrishnan, the expert who invented this, has recorded 15-20% increase in the leaf area.
  • Such an increase in area leads to a corresponding increase in photosynthesis (harvesting of solar energy as Dhabolkar says) and enhances yield.
Usage:
  • Mix a liter of it with ten liters water to spray.
  • Or, for use in irrigation, mix 200-300 liters per acre of this solution with one of the following solutions:
  • (a) 30 to 50 liters concentrated Amudham Solution,
  • (b) 5-20 liters Panchakavy
  • (c) 5-10 liters coconut-buttermilk /arappu-buttermilk / soap nut-buttermilk solution,
  • (d) 3 liters fish extract (given in 4.7).
  • With this mix the following microorganisms for disease control depending on the prevailing diseases.
  • To control deseases which damage the rhizosphere/ rhizomes and to control fussarium wilt, we have to use beneficial fungi like Pseudomonas fluorescens, Trichoderma viridi, Trichoderma harzianum and Bascillus subtillus;
  • To control root knot nematodes use Paecilomyces lilacinus;
  • To control root grubs use Beauveria brongniartii and Metarhizium .
Note:
  • Farmers have to buy these from outside.
  • To reduce the cost, farmers could buy in small quantities (100-500gms) and increase the population using the archaebacterial solution and these can be mixed at the time of irrigation.
  • (Each of the fungi should be developed in a separate container).
  • We have developed specific solutions for specific crops and diseases.
  • Farmers should select a subset of the above ingredients depending on the crop and the disease.
  • Let the mixture (of the powders and the archaebacteria solution) ferment for a day before mixing with irrigation water.
  • You may also use each of the above five mixtures one after the other.
  • This is a very good and simple method of enhancing soil health and to increase the population of all beneficial organisms in the soil.
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