The Role of Microbial Utilization Technology for Sustainable Agriculture

Penulis: Endriani (NPM 2434171011) dan Darwin H. Pangaribuan (NIDN 0013016302), Mahasiswa Pascasarjana dan Dosen Jurusan Agronomi Hortikultura, Fakultas Pertanian Universitas Lampung

"The utilization of microbes in agriculture is still lagging behind compared to the biochemical industry. However, whether realized or not, microbes have played a significant role in agricultural systems"

Introduction

 Sustainable agriculture is an increasingly important concept in addressing global challenges such as climate change, land degradation, and the growing demand for food. This approach aims to meet the current food needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own. 

In sustainable agriculture, the focus is not only on maximizing production but also on the long-term environmental, social, and economic impacts. The utilization of microbes in agriculture is still lagging behind compared to the biochemical industry.

 However, whether realized or not, microbes have played a significant role in agricultural systems. The processes of decomposition and nutrient mineralization from organic matter in the soil, as well as nitrogen fixation by rhizobia, are microbial activities that play an important role in improving soil fertility.

A positive perspective on microbes can inspire interest in exploring their largely untapped potential. Only a small fraction of the thousands of microbial species have been identified as beneficial for agriculture, such as nitrogen-fixing bacteria for legumes, phosphate-solubilizing bacteria and fungi, organic matter-decomposing bacteria and fungi, and bacteria, fungi, and viruses as biological control agents. 

Many microbes remain unidentified, and their benefits are still unknown. 

Saraswati et al. (2004) generally classify the functions of microbes into four categories: (1) increasing the availability of plant nutrients in the soil, (2) decomposing organic matter and mineralizing organic elements in the soil, (3) rhizospheric-endophytic bacteria that promote plant growth by producing enzymes and protecting roots from pathogenic microbes, and (4) serving as biological control agents against pests and plant diseases. 

Various chemical reactions in the soil also occur with the help of soil microbes (Yoshida, 1978). The processes of decomposition and nutrient mineralization from organic matter in the soil, as well as nitrogen fixation by rhizobia, are microbial activities that play a crucial role in enhancing soil fertility. 

The utilization of heavy metal-accumulating bacteria in paddy fields contaminated by industrial waste can improve rice quality by reducing the amount of heavy metals absorbed by rice plants.

The application of microbial technology in agriculture can enhance the function of indigenous (naturally occurring) microbes in various plant production systems, both directly and indirectly. The higher the soil microbial population, the greater the biochemical activity in the soil, and the higher the soil quality index. Non-pathogenic soil microbial populations are also considered one of the indicators of environmentally friendly agricultural technology (Karlen et al. 2006).