Rhizobium-Based Biofertilizer for Rational Use of Mineral Nitrogen Fertilizers: Case Study of Common Bean Cultivation in Senegal

Abstract

Synthetic fertilizers are widely used to address the urgent challenge of ensuring food supplies for a growing world population in the context of climate change. However, their industrial production and use in agriculture have a negative impact on the environment and consequently on human health. While chemical fertilizers may not have to be abandoned in agricultural production systems, limiting their use could help to make agriculture sustainable and resilient to climate change. In Senegal, the level of mineral fertilizers used in market gardening has become alarming in the Niayes area. As a result, microbial biotechnologies have been promoted for biofertilizer production of common bean ( Phaseolus vulgaris L.) cultivation. Rhizobial inoculums have thus been used to reduce the rate of chemical nitrogen fertilizers being applied in cropping systems. Several investigations in the laboratory, on experimental stations and in the field have shown a possibility of a significant reduction in the use of nitrogen fertilizers in common bean production. Conventional mineral fertilization use can be reduced from over 120 kg N/ha to 20 kg N/ha. This contributes both to a very significant reduction in the application rate with the same level of yield and to an improvement in the standard of living. In addition, the environmental impact of using chemical fertilizers can be mitigated. This study is a contribution to the promotion of biofertilizers adoption in agricultural systems.