Azotobacter-benefits in pulse crops

Azotobacter Vinelandii is a free-living bacterium that can fix atmosferic nitrogen into the soil, being a great source to obtain a natural biofertilizer that can be used in the cultivation of most crops. 
It is a great source of nitrogen to meet the needs of crops because also has the capabilities to cause a rejuvenation of soil microbiology to tap out the biological fixation of nitrogen.
Benefits:

It improves seed germination and plant growth

Azotobacter are tolerant to high salts.

It can benefit crops by Nitrogen fixation, growth promoting substances, fungi static substances.

Azotobacter is heaviest breathing organism and requires a large amount of organic carbon for its growth.

It is poor competitor for nutrients in soil and hence its growth promoting substances, fungistatic substances.

It thrives even in alkaline soils.

Azotobacter is less effective in soils with poor organic matter content.

Additional Benefits: Azotobacter also produces some substances which check the plant pathogens such as Alternaria, Fusarium and Helminthosporium. Hence Azotobacter also acts as a biological control agent.

Functions of Azotobacter: Azotobacter naturally fixes atmospheric nitrogen in the rhizosphere. There are different strains of Azotobacter each has varied chemical, biological and other characters. However, some strains have higher nitrogen fixing ability than others.. Azotobacter uses carbon for its metabolism from simple or compound substances of carbonaceous in nature. Besides carbon, Azotobacter also requires calcium for nitrogen fixation. Similarly, a medium used for growth of Azotobacter is required to have presence of organic nitrogen, micro-nutrients and salt in order to enhance the nitrogen fixing ability of Azotobacter.

Azotobacter also produces fixation of Thiomin, Riboflavin, Nicotin, indol acitic acid and giberalin. When Azotobacter is applied to seeds, seed germination is improved to a considerable extent, so also it controls plant diseases due to above substances produced by Azotobacter.