Beyond Soil Inoculation: Cyanobacteria as a Fertilizer Replacement

Abstract

Nitrogen-fixing bacteria such as cyanobacteria have the capability to fix atmospheric nitrogen at ambient temperature and pressure, and intensive cultivation of cyanobacteria for fertilizer could lead to its use as an “environmentally friendly” replacement or supplement for nitrogen (N) fertilizer derived from the Haber–Bosch process. Prior research has focused on the use of N-fixing bacteria as a soil inoculum, and while this can improve crop yields, yield improvements are generally attributed to plant-growth-promoting substances produced by the bacteria, rather than to biological N fixation. The intensive cultivation of cyanobacteria in raceways or bioreactors can result in a fertilizer that provides N and organic carbon, as well as potentially similar growth-promoting substances observed in prior research work. On-farm or local production of cyanobacterial fertilizer could also circumvent infrastructure limitations, economic and geopolitical issues, and challenges in distribution and transport related to Haber–Bosch-derived N fertilizers. The use of cyanobacterial N fertilizer could have many agronomic and environmental advantages over N fertilizer derived from the Haber–Bosch process, but study of cyanobacteria as a replacement for other N fertilizers remains very limited. Scientific and practical challenges remain for this promising but as-yet unproven approach to maintaining or improving soil N fertility.