Sapota
Sapota is a tropical evergreen fruit commonly called as Chikoo. India is one of the largest producers of sapota in the world. Apart from the delicious nature, the fruits possess nutritive as well as medicinal properties. But due to shorter shelf life, it could not be stored for a long period. Pre-harvest treatments such as application of different chemicals i.e. during vegetative as well as reproductive stage has caused various threats to environmental, human, and soil health over a period of time. However, soil microorganisms play a significant role in regulating the dynamics of organic matter decomposition and the availability of plant nutrients. Hence, the application of biofertilizers is becoming popular these days as an important alternative to chemical fertilizers. On the basis of the application of bio-fertilizers, it can be broadly classified as:
- Nitrogenous (N) bio-fertilizer
- Phosphatic (P) bio-fertilizer
- Potash (K) bio-fertilizer