Synergism of Industrial and Agricultural Waste as a Suitable Carrier Material for Developing Potential Biofertilizer for Sustainable Agricultural Production of Eggplant

Abstract

The study investigates biochar from agriculture waste and flyash from coal power station as possible carrier materials for two plant growth-promoting (PGP) bacterial strains Burkholderia sp. L2 and Bacillus sp. A30 for enhanced eggplant growth and yield. Biochar-based biofertilizers with/without flyash showed higher viability up to 270 days of storage period. The maximum percentage of seed germination was observed in L2-based biochar and flyash + biochar (1:1) bifertilizer. Moreover, the L2 + biochar+flyash produced a maximum percentage increase in fruit yield with significant (p < 0.05) improvement in plant growth parameters. Post-harvest soil status also showed enhanced physical (water holding capacity, moisture content), chemical (pH, electrical conductivity, NPK), and dehydrogenase activity. The study suggests that biofertilizer of L2 strain with agriculture waste generated biochar and flyash as carrier materials can tremendously enhance the productivity of eggplant and could act as a substitute for chemical fertilizer thus solving their disposal problem by sustainable waste management. © 2022 by the authorsLicensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.