The University of Nizhni Novgorod created innovative fertilizer

Scientists from the University of Nizhni Novgorod have created a fertilizer that increases yield by up to 45%. To reach high efficiency, the scientists used native for the given territory bacteria.

“Many microbiological fertilizers are based on strains grown in the laboratory. Such fertilizers do not have the required set of characteristics. We take samples from the consumer’s land and cultivate beneficial strains of local bacteria, from which the drug for fertilizer is subsequently created. This ensures the fastest adoption of the fertilizer into the ecosystem,” said Ph. D. candidate of the Department of Ecology at the University of Nizhni Novgorod, Evgeny Solomaykin.

The new fertilizer is based on Azotobacter chroococcum and other soil bacteria. These bacteria live in the roots of plants. They contribute to the development of the roots and increase the plant’s resistance to various diseases. The new drug can be used both in forest restoration and agriculture.

Tests have shown that the survival rate of treated plants is 95-98%, the yield of different crops is growing, and it becomes possible to completely abandon mineral fertilizers. The shelf life and quality of the product increase, and its resistance to the phytopathogenic pathogens and unfavorable climatic conditions increases as well. Besides, the plants become free from the excess concentration of nitrates and nitrites, and the topsoil becomes more fertile. The consumption rate of the new fertilizer is a liter for 5 tons of seeds, which is significantly less compared to the traditional fertilizers.

Source: Rossiyskaya Gazeta