V.D. Dahatonde, D.B. Tambe and A.R. Tuwar
Abstract
Excessive use of chemical fertilizers in modern agriculture has led to soil degradation, environmental pollution, and sustainability concerns. This has increased interest in eco-friendly alternatives such as biofertilizers. Freshwater algal biofertilizers are gaining attention for improving soil fertility and reducing dependence on synthetic inputs. Studies show that freshwater algae support sustainable agriculture by enhancing soil health, nutrient availability, and crop productivity (Ronga et al., 2023; Verma et al., 2023; Kumar et al., 2024). Freshwater algae, particularly cyanobacteria and green algae, enhance crop productivity through nitrogen fixation, nutrient solubilization, production of phytohormones, and improvement of soil structure and microbial activity. These processes increase nutrient-use efficiency, soil organic matter, and water-holding capacity, promoting healthy plant growth in conventional and low-input farming systems (Singh et al., 2023; Sharma et al., 2024; El-Sayed et al., 2024).This review evaluates the role of freshwatealgal biofertilizers in improving the growth and yield of Momordica charantia L. and Lagenaria siceraria L. Studies report improvements in seed germination, vegetative growth, flowering, fruit set, and yield after algal biofertilizer application (Patel et al., 2024; Chanda et al., 2024). It also discusses algal diversity, application methods, crop responses, and future prospects for integrating algal biofertilizers into sustainable vegetable production systems as cost-effective and eco-friendly inputs.