Biofertilization and nanotechnology in alfalfa as alternatives for a sustainable crop

• Published in: Cultivos tropicales 2021-04, Vol.42 (2), p.1
• Main Authors: Ramos-Ulate, Carmen Maria, Perez-Alvarez, Sandra, Guerrero-Morales, Sergio, Palacios-Monarrez, Abdon
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 0258-5936

Alfalfa is considered the most widely used fodder crop in the world, its main use is to feed cattle due to its high nutritional value, specifically in protein and digestible fiber. Currently the trend in agriculture is to decrease the application of chemicals and within them are fertilizers because they pollute soil and water, so the adoption of new technologies and others not so new is becoming a good habit among farmers. Nanotechnology in the plant system allows the development of new fertilizers to improve agricultural productivity and the release of mineral nutrients in nanoforms, which has a wide variety of benefits, including timing and direct release of nutrients and synchronization or specific environmental response. Biofertilizers are important components of integrated nutrient management and play a key role in productivity, soil sustainability while protecting the environment, being a profitable, ecological and renewable source of plant nutrients to complement chemical fertilizers in the sustainable agricultural system. Nanotechnology and biofertilization practically allows the reduction in the application of chemicals contributing to the sustainability of agriculture, so this work aims to review the most relevant results on biofertilization, the use of nanotechnology and the evaluation of the nutritional composition of alfalfa when cultivated with the application of biofertilizers. Key words: biofertilizers, nanomaterials, agriculture