Effect of Nitrogenous Fertilizers and Bio Fertilizers on the Growth and Development of Cereal Fodder Crops: A Review

Livestock contributes significantly to the agricultural and National GDP (gross domestic product). India is known as one of the most important countries containing a larger livestock population. Hence, to sustain the livestock population, the production of quality forage is the most important factor. Currently, the lack of dry and green forage yield is increasing day by day due to an insufficient supply of required fertilizers to the fodder crops and farmers are not willing to cultivate fodder crops as it provides smaller net returns. Moreover, the availability of smaller land holdings is another cause of the fodder deficit in the country. In cereal fodder crops, nitrogenous fertilizers have an immense role in determining the crude protein and fibre content of the plant when it is applied with appropriate doses that differ from crop to crop. Moreover, biofertilizers are products that contain stains of different microorganisms. Inoculation of biofertilizers such as Azospirrilum, Azotobacter, Acetobacter, Pseudomonas, Bacillus, Clostridium, etc. to the cereal fodders (sorghum, maize, oat, barley, ryegrass, etc.) leads to a considerable increase in yield attributes as well as the quality of the yield can be sustained also without deteriorating the soil fertility. Again, the combined application of both i.e., biofertilizers and nitrogenous fertilizers at a suitable proportion provides the maximum possible quality yield with higher net profit. Therefore, it is necessary to apply fertilizers (nitrogen and biofertilizers) at the time of crop requirement for maximum production. Hence, this study is conducted to observe the performance level of cereal fodders under the impact of nitrogenous fertilizers and biofertilizers.