The success of agriculture greatly depends on the fertility level of the soil. Soil health is the foundation of organic farming systems. Plants require critical nutrients from fertile soil which also supports a diversified and dynamic biotic population that helps the soil resist environmental degradation.
Bio fertilization is a sustainable agricultural practice that includes using bio fertilizers to upsurge the nutrient content of the soil, resulting in higher productivity (Suleiman et al. 2020). Algae, which are found in almost all terrestrial environments are the most distinctive organisms on the planet with potential applications such as agricultural applications as bio fertilizers and soil conditioning agents for the improvement of soil fertility and plant productivity (Chapman, 2013, Duarteet al., 2018). Soil algae are modest photosynthetic microorganisms that originate in the soil they also stay alive inches under the soil surface, soil is a substantial habitation for algal evolution (Duarte et al. 2018). It can help the soil to develop its features such as carbon content, aeration, texture, and nitrogen fixation. The addition of algae to other living organisms which are found in different soil types in various states could indicate the healthy range of the soil environment. The algal growth also reduces soil erosion by managing water flow. Similarly, they perform a role in soil reclamation, soil fertility, formation of microbiological crust, bio-controlling of agricultural pests, and agricultural wastewater treatment (Abdel-Raouf et al. 2016).
Soil microflora has been found to promote biomass productivity and improve soil fertility. However, algal microflora has also been found as a true bio-based fertilizer for agricultural techniques that are both environmentally favorable and pollution-free. Although photosynthetic, these algae are adapted to extremes of environments and have been observed to thrive under extreme light settings with limited nutrients such as C and N levels and a low water need.
This can replace or supplement the currently utilized cost and energy-intensive chemical fertilizers because it is cost-effective, environmentally friendly, and renewable. Live and/or dead cells containing beneficial microbes are applied to plant and soil systems. They invade the rhizosphere quickly, promoting plant growth and development by converting inaccessible mineral forms into needed nutrients through mechanisms such as nitrogen fixation, mineralization, and rock phosphate solubility