Plant growth promoting rhizobacteria and Rhizobium combinations are the key to reduce dependence on phosphorus fertilizers in lentil - A review

Improved agricultural technologies are helping in meeting the foodgrain needs of growing global population while the arable land is shrinking. So, the excessive and continuous use of chemical fertilizers has ensured the high crop production and productivity of foodgrains. However, continuous application of inorganic fertilizers has created many problems related to biosphere i.e. environmental, soil and human being. In recent years, the scientists are concerned about biosphere hazardous; thus, reducing the extra burden of inorganic fertilizers by using microbial inoculants for integrated nutrient management. The microbial inoculations supplement the plant growth and yield by direct ways (increase in supply of nutrients i.e. nitrogen, production of metabolites such as auxins, cytokinins and gibberellins as well as through the solubilization of phosphate and other minerals) and indirect ways (biofertilizers eliminate the pathogens by the production of cyanide, siderophores, chitinase etc.). The microbial inoculation stimulates the plant to use applied as well as fixed nutrients i.e. phosphate efficiently, thus helps to reduce the fertilizers input. Secondly, biofertilizers are considered as economically feasible and environmentally safe.