Bio-Organic Fertilizer: A Green Technology to Reduce Synthetic N and P Fertilizer for Rice Production

Decomposed organic materials, in combination with plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB), are environmentally friendly and reduce synthetic fertilizer use in rice production. A bio-organic fertilizer (BoF) was prepared using kitchen waste (79%), chita-dhan (unfilled rice grain) biochar (15%), rock phosphate (5%), and a consortium of 10 PGPB (1%) to supplement 30% nitrogen and to replace triple superphosphate (TSP) fertilizer in rice production with an improvement of soil health. PGPB were local isolates and identified using 16S ribosomal RNA partial gene sequences as Bacillus mycoides , Proteus sp., Bacillus cereus, Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus pumilus, Paenibacillus polymyxa , and Paenibacillus spp. Isolates could fix N 2 by 0.7–1.4 g kg –1 , solubilize 0.1–1.2 g kg –1 phosphate, and produce 0.1–40 g kg…