Growing concerns about the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides on environmental health, safety to human beings and destruction of non-target pests have led to the development of biological fertilizers and pesticides. At present, Organic farming practices are booming and farmers are getting awareness in using bio-agri inputs.
Biofertilizers (Core Support Programme (Phase I: 2014-19)
The Biofertilizers like Azotobactor chroococcum, Azospirillum sp. and Rhizobium sp., .Pseudomonas putida and P.fluorescens, phosphate solubilising bacteria, Bacillus spp were introduced to farmers to enhance the yield of crops and to minimize the use of synthetic fertilizers. .. Farmers are being trained to produce P. fluorescens and T. viride using a simple method using low cost medium in their backyards.
Biopesticdes ( Core Support Programme – Phase II: 2014-19
Bacillus thuringiensis was isolated from rice field soil collected from Aatoor near Nagarcoil, TamiNadu. This particular strain is toxic to lepidopteran type of pests like rice leaf folder, stem borer, . Helicoverpa armigera and Spodoptera armigera, Amaranthus leaf feeder, and Nanthiyavattai leaf feeder. This has been formulated as liquid concentrate as well as wettable powder .and found to be effective in controlling the pests. Bacillus methylotrophicus and Bacillus amyloliquefasciens were isolated from organic manures and tested for their antimicrobial activity against various plant pathogens. These two bacterial species were found to inhibit many plant fungal pathogens. These three Bacillus spp are being evaluated in the field.