Question

What is organic farming? Discuss the benefits of organic farming as a viable practice in the context of developing nations like India.

Answer 1

The use of Bio fertilisers in agriculture is called organic farming. Bio fertilisers are organisms that enrich the nutrient quality of the soil. The main sources of biofertilisers are bacteria, fungi and cyanobacteria. The nodules on the roots of leguminous plants are formed by the symbiotic association of Rhizobium. These bacteria fix atmospheric nitrogen into organic forms, which is used by the plant as nutrient. Other bacteria can fix atmospheric nitrogen while free-living in the soil (for example Azospirillum and Azotobacter), thus enriching the nitrogen content of the soil.

Currently, in our country, a number of bio fertilisers are available commercially in the market and farmers use these regularly in their fields to replenish soil nutrients and to reduce dependence on chemical fertilisers.