Abstract

Application of microbial inoculants into the soil can enhance soil properties and plant nutrient acquisition and increase the efficiency of mineral fertilizers and manures. The potential use of microbial inoculants in sustainable agriculture and soil restoration has been gaining increasing interest. Encapsulation of beneficial soil microorganisms has been applied and used in the agricultural industry, particularly in processes such as spray drying, interfacial polymerization, or cross-linking. This chapter presents different techniques for microbial inoculants and their benefits for agricultural and environmental purposes. Techniques include fluidized bed, coacervation, and ionic or inverse gelation. The major topics discussed are conventional inoculants, formulation of microbial inoculants, encapsulation techniques, and application trends. In addition, the use of biochar as inoculant carrier is proposed in order to develop new formulations. This innovative microbial inoculant has many advantages, such as increased water-holding capacity, high internal porosity, and large surface area, while it also provides a suitable habitat for microorganisms to enhance colonization and bacteria protection in the soil.