Bio-Organic -An Effective Fertilizer for Arid Lands Agriculture and Date Palm Plantation in Saudi Arabia (original) (raw)

Biosciences Biotechnology Research Asia, 2013

Abstract

Greater part of agriculturally important soils (45%) of Saudi Arabia is calcareous, sandy; have low water holding capacities, high infiltration rates, high evaporation rates, low fertility level, and very low organic matter content. The productivity of these soils is thus limited. The mentioned soil constraints can conceivably be alleviated through the use of Bio-organic fertilizer. Bio-Organic fertilizer is composed of Organic matter and some beneficial soil microorganisms like Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, P-solubilizing microorganisms, Trichoderma, Rhizobium, Azotobacter, Azospirillum etc. Organic matter will improve the soil’s physical, chemical and biological properties and beneficial soil microorganisms can help increase plant growth by up-take of immobile nutrients, alleviate stresses like draught, salt, heavy metal, high temperatures etc.; establishment of transplanting seedlings, disease control, improve soil aggregates and control soil erosions etc. So Bio-organic fertilizer, an eco-friendly and cost effective technology, may be introduced immediately to increase quantitative and qualitative crop production in Arid Land Agriculture of Saudi Arabia. Particularly, in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), date palm cultivation is very important for the economy of the country. Usually the date palm plantations in KSA are grown with chemical fertilizers. As the date palm fruits are consumed directly so it is very important to grow fruits by using Bio-organic farming. To have safe fruits as food, Bio-organic farming may be introduced in the date palm plantations in KSA. This will not only to provide safe food but also improve the soil health (physical, chemical and biological conditions of the soil). Millions of people throughout the World are living in arid lands characterized as too dry for conventional rain fed agriculture. The dry land areas (40% of world land surface) are home to over 2 billion people, accounting for 35% of the world’s population. More than 90% of dry land inhabitants are in the developing world and 70% in rural areas. Approximately half of the poorest people in the world live in the dry areas. There is an urgent need to develop appropriate agriculture to feed theses millions of people. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, with a total

amin mridha hasn't uploaded this paper.

Let amin know you want this paper to be uploaded.

Ask for this paper to be uploaded.