India’s shift toward regenerative farming is accelerating as growers search for inputs that build soil life, cut chemical reliance, and improve crop resilience. This guide explains the Top 10 Organic Inputs and Biofertilizers Used in India, focusing on what they do, how to apply them, and where they work best. From nutrient fixers to disease suppressors, each option complements integrated nutrient and pest management plans. You will learn practical rates, timing, and compatibility so that field practices stay scientific and economical. Examples reference common crops and soils across India, while tips help avoid misuse, contamination, or poor storage that can reduce efficacy.
#1 Vermicompost for nutrient rich humus
Vermicompost supplies balanced nutrients, humic substances, and microbial metabolites that improve soil aggregation and water holding. Apply 1 to 2 tons per acre for vegetables, or 0.5 to 1 ton for cereals, banded near rows or as basal in beds. Screened, mature compost with earthy smell prevents phytotoxicity. Combine with rock phosphate to raise phosphorus availability and use mulch to conserve released nitrogen. Avoid mixing with synthetic pesticides or fresh manure during curing. Maintain moisture near field capacity and shade the stock so beneficial microbes remain active until application.
#2 Farmyard manure and well matured compost
Farmyard manure improves cation exchange capacity, supplies slow release nitrogen, and buffers pH in both light and heavy soils. Target 5 to 10 tons per acre before primary tillage and incorporate shallow to reduce carbon loss. Compost should be fully stabilized, with temperature returned to ambient and C to N ratio near 15 to 20 for safe use. Enrich manure with rock phosphate or microbial consortia to raise nutrient density. Uniform application followed by light irrigation aids colonization of beneficial microbes and reduces ammonia losses from exposed surfaces.
#3 Rhizobium inoculants for pulse nodulation
Crop specific Rhizobium strains fix atmospheric nitrogen in symbiosis with pulses like chickpea, pigeon pea, pea, and soybean. Use seed coating at 25 to 50 grams carrier based culture per kilogram seed with jaggery or gum as sticker, or apply through seedling root dip in transplants. Ensure strain specificity and check viability date on the packet. Avoid chemical seed treatments on the same day, spacing them by at least 24 hours if required. Field inoculation enhances nodulation, reduces urea demand, and improves protein content when soil moisture and phosphorus are adequate.
#4 Azotobacter and Azospirillum for cereals and millets
Free living nitrogen fixers Azotobacter and associative Azospirillum strengthen root growth, produce phytohormones, and supplement nitrogen in rice, maize, wheat, and millets. Apply 200 grams per acre in liquid culture through seed coating, or 2 to 4 kilograms per acre in carrier form mixed with compost as soil application. Moist soil and organic residues promote colonization. Combine with 75 to 80 percent of the recommended nitrogen to realize savings without yield penalty. Avoid chlorinated irrigation water immediately after application, and protect cultures from heat and direct sunlight during handling.
#5 Phosphate solubilizing microbes to unlock fixed phosphorus
Bacteria and fungi that solubilize phosphorus, such as Bacillus, Pseudomonas, and Penicillium, release organic acids and enzymes that mobilize soil and rock phosphate. Treat seed or seedlings, or broadcast 2 to 4 kilograms per acre mixed with compost. Use along with 25 to 50 kilograms per acre of rock phosphate in acidic and neutral soils to build reserves. Maintain soil moisture for two weeks after application for sustained activity. Benefits include higher root biomass, better flowering, and improved fertilizer use efficiency, reducing dependence on costly water soluble phosphorus sources.
#6 Potassium mobilizing bacteria for balanced nutrition
Frateuria and Bacillus species mobilize potassium from feldspar and mica minerals, making it available during peak crop demand. Apply 2 to 4 kilograms per acre in carrier form through soil application along with organic matter that supports microbial survival. This input is especially useful in soils testing medium for potassium or where straw is removed regularly. Combine with split application of muriate of potash at reduced rates for risk management. Visible responses include sturdier stems, improved grain filling, and better water regulation under dry spells when applied before panicle initiation or flowering.
#7 Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi for root extension
AMF form hyphal networks that expand the root zone, enhancing uptake of phosphorus, zinc, and moisture, while improving soil aggregation. Place granular inoculum near seed or seedlings so propagules contact roots, using 2 to 4 kilograms per acre depending on spore count. Avoid fungicidal seed treatments at planting and minimize deep tillage that breaks hyphae. Particularly effective in vegetables, fruit orchards, and rainfed pulses on low phosphorus soils. Expected outcomes are better transplant establishment, higher water use efficiency, and resilience under heat or moisture stress due to improved root architecture.
#8 Trichoderma for disease suppression and root vigor
Trichoderma harzianum and viride colonize the rhizosphere, outcompete pathogens, and trigger plant defenses against wilt, damping off, and root rots. Use seed treatment at 4 grams per kilogram seed, nursery mix at 1 kilogram per hundred kilograms of potting media, or field application at 2 kilograms per acre blended with compost. Apply before disease onset and maintain soil moisture. Do not combine with copper fungicides on the same day. Results include cleaner seedlings, stronger root systems, and lower pesticide reliance, especially in solanaceous and cucurbit crops grown in warm and humid conditions.
#9 Pseudomonas and Bacillus based biocontrol for foliar and soil health
Beneficial Pseudomonas fluorescens and Bacillus subtilis produce antibiotics and induce systemic resistance, reducing leaf spots, blights, and seedling diseases. For seed treatment, use 10 milliliters liquid culture per kilogram seed. For foliar spray, apply 5 milliliters per liter every 10 to 15 days during disease conducive weather, adding a sticking agent. Combine with neem oil sprays for broader coverage. These microbes also solubilize nutrients and improve root hair development, which supports yield stability. Store in cool shade and verify viable counts to avoid failure during critical crop stages.
#10 Neem based inputs and botanical extracts for integrated management
Neem seed cake supplies slow release nitrogen and acts against soil pests, typically applied at 200 to 400 kilograms per acre before planting. Cold pressed neem oil at 2 to 5 milliliters per liter manages soft bodied insects while being compatible with many biocontrol agents. Karanj oil or pongamia cake diversifies modes of action and reduces resistance risk. Seaweed extract and humic substances can be used as biostimulants to improve stress tolerance and nutrient uptake. Test a small patch first, maintain spray coverage, and rotate products within an integrated pest and nutrient plan.