Indiscriminate use of chemical fertilizers in the agricultural production systems to keep pace with the food and nutritional demand of the galloping population had an adverse impact on ecosystem ...services and environmental quality. Hence, an alternative mechanism is to be developed to enhance farm production and environmental sustainability. A nanohybrid construct like nanofertilizers (NFs) is an excellent alternative to overcome the negative impact of traditional chemical fertilizers. The NFs provide smart nutrient delivery to the plants and proves their efficacy in terms of crop productivity and environmental sustainability over bulky chemical fertilizers. Plants can absorb NFs by foliage or roots depending upon the application methods and properties of the particles. NFs enhance the biotic and abiotic stresses tolerance in plants. It reduces the production cost and mitigates the environmental footprint. Multitude benefits of the NFs open new vistas towards sustainable agriculture and climate change mitigation. Although supra-optimal doses of NFs have a detrimental effect on crop growth, soil health, and environmental outcomes. The extensive release of NFs into the environment and food chain may pose a risk to human health, hence, need careful assessment. Thus, a thorough review on the role of different NFs and their impact on crop growth, productivity, soil, and environmental quality is required, which would be helpful for the research of sustainable agriculture.
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•Nanofertilizers (NFs) are the best alternative to traditional chemical fertilizers.•Nutrients use efficiency of NFs is higher than the conventional chemical fertilizers.•NFs can increase the tolerance of plants against biotic and abiotic stresses.•Supra optimal dose of NFs had a negative impact on crops, soil, and the environment.
•In rice-maize system, application of residues and K increased yields and soil K supply.•K use efficiency in both rice and maize was invariably greater under residue removal plots.•Responses to K ...fertilizer were greater with residue removal than residue retention.•Apparent K balance with residue removal were highly negative even with K fertilization.•Zero-till system helped retention of K in top soil layer.
The rice-maize cropping system (RMS) is an emerging option for diversification of the prevalent rice-wheat system (RWS) in South Asia. Studies underlined the significance of adequate potassium (K) nutrition for sustainable intensification of the RMS. Although studies on combined effects of tillage, residue retention, and nutrient management on crop yields and nutrient use efficiency for the RWS are plenty, such studies are scarce for the RMS. We, therefore, conducted a 5-year field study on sandy loam (Typic Ustochrept) soil at Modipuram, India to evaluate the effects of tillage and crop establishment, residue management and K fertilization on crop productivity, K use efficiencies, changes in soil K status, and apparent K balance under irrigated RMS in north-western India. Three combinations of tillage and crop establishment methods i.e., puddled transplanted rice (TPR) followed by conventional-till maize (TPR/CTM); conventional-till dry direct-seeded rice (CTDSR) followed by CTM (CTDSR/CTM); and zero-till DSR followed by zero-till maize (ZTDSR/ZTM) were considered as main plots. Sub-plot treatments consisted of two residue management options i.e., removal of residues (-R) of both crops, and partial residue retention (5 Mg ha−1) for rice and maize, either at soil surface in zero till (ZT) plots or incorporated into the soil in conventionally-till (CT) plots (+R). The sub-sub plot treatments were no-K application (-K) and 62 kg K ha−1 application (+K) to both rice and maize. Data summed-up for 5 years revealed that rice grain yield and K uptake under TPR were significantly higher (p < 0.05) compared with CT/ZT DSR, irrespective of residue and K management options. The maize yield and K uptake were highest under the ZTDSR/ZTM treatment. Both rice and maize yields were significantly (p < 0.05) higher with 62 kg ha−1 K application under −R plots, but such effects were not significant under + R plots. Similarly the effect of residue management on yield and K uptake of rice and maize was significant only in the absence of fertilizer K application. Recycling of rice residue in maize had more pronounced effect on K uptake compared with that of maize residue in rice. Agronomic and recovery efficiencies of applied K were lower under +R plots, and agronomic efficiency was further decreased when both rice and maize were grown under ZT conditions (ZTDSR/ZTM). Soil exchangeable K content at 0–0.05 m and 0.05–0.15 m depths was significantly higher (p < 0.05) under ZTDSR/ZTM compared with that under CTDSR/CTM and TPR/CTM treatments, and the values were greater under +R + K compared with −R−K treatments. Soil exchangeable K under −K−R plots dropped to 102 and 90 mg kg−1 at 0–0.05 m and 0.05–0.15 m depth, respectively vis–a-vis the initial K content (122 and 114 mg kg−1, respectively). The apparent K balance, computed as K addition less K off-take by rice and maize during the study period of 5 years, was invariably negative in the absence of K fertilizer i.e., −307 kg ha−1 in TPR/CTM (+R−K) to −1483 kg ha−1 in ZTDSR/ZTM (−R−K) treatments. On contrary, the apparent K balance was positive in +R + K plots under different tillage and crop establishment methods. Positive correlation between soil exchangeable K and K input indicated that soil K mining in the RMS could be mitigated to a great extent with adequate supply of K through residue retention and K fertilization.
One of the biggest challenges to be addressed in world agriculture is low nitrogen (N) use efficiency (<40%). To address this issue, researchers have repeatedly underlined the need for greater ...emphasis on the development and promotion of energy efficient, and environmentally sound novel fertilizers, in addition to improved agronomic management to augment nutrient use efficiency for restoring soil fertility and increasing farm profit. Hence, a fixed plot field experiment was conducted to assess the economic and environmental competency of conventional fertilizers with and without nano-urea (novel fertilizer) in two predominant cropping systems viz., maize-wheat and pearl millet-mustard under semi-arid regions of India. Result indicates that the supply of 75% recommended N with conventional fertilizer along with nano-urea spray (N75PK+nano-urea) reduced the energy requirement by ~8-11% and increased energy use efficiency by ~6-9% over 100% nitrogen through prilled urea fertilizer (business as usual). Furthermore, the application of N75PK+ nano-urea exhibited ~14% higher economic yields in all the crops compared with N50PK+ nano-urea. Application of N75PK+nano-urea registered comparable soil N and dehydrogenase activities (35.8 μg TPF g-1 24 hrs-1 across all crops) over the conventional fertilization (N100PK). This indicates that application of foliar spray of nano-urea with 75% N is a soil supportive production approach. More interestingly, two foliar sprays of nano-urea curtailed nitrogen load by 25% without any yield penalty, besides reducing the greenhouse gases (GHG) emission from 164.2 to 416.5 kg CO2-eq ha-1 under different crops. Therefore, the application of nano-urea along with 75% N through prilled urea is an energy efficient, environmentally robust and economically feasible nutrient management approach for sustainable crop production.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Rice cultivation always remains significant for food and livelihood security. The predictions of increasing water deficiency under a changing climate and escalating labor shortages in agriculture ...have brought a paradigm swing in rice cultivation from conventionally flooded transplanting to direct-seeded rice (DSR). DSR cultivation can potentially address the concerns of diminishing natural resources and mounting production costs in the establishment of transplanted rice. The transition towards DSR saves water, reduces duration to maturity as well as labor required, and reduces negative environmental footprints. Despite all these recompenses, the potential yield losses through enormous weed menaces under DSR remains a challenge and may reduce yield by up to 50%. In this review, we examine the extent of weed infestation, weed shift and the losses in dry DSR (DDSR). Various regional and global scientific efforts made under DDSR have been assessed in the present and the smart weed-management strategies suggested can be adopted after scrutiny. Integration of different weed management approaches, namely prevention, cultural, mechanical, and chemical, have been discussed, which can pave the way for worldwide adoption of DDSR, especially in South Asia. In Asia, 22% of the acreage of total rice cultivation is under DSR and the region-specific integration of these weed-management approaches might reduce herbicide use in these areas by up to 50%.
Intense cultivation with narrow row spacing in wheat, a common practice in the Indo-Gangetic plains of South Asia, renders the crop more susceptible to lodging during physiological maturity. This ...susceptibility, compounded by the use of traditional crop cultivars, has led to a substantial decline in overall crop productivity. In response to these challenges, a two-year field study on the system of wheat intensification (SWI) was conducted. The study involved three different cultivation methods in horizontal plots and four wheat genotypes in vertical plots, organized in a strip plot design. Our results exhibited that adoption of SWI at 20 cm × 20 cm resulted in significantly higher intercellular CO2 concentration (5.9-6.3%), transpiration rate (13.2-15.8%), stomatal conductance (55-59%), net photosynthetic rate (126-160%), and photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) interception (1.6-25.2%) over the existing conventional method (plant geometry 22.5 cm × continuous plant to plant spacing) of wheat cultivation. The lodging resistance capacity of both the lower and upper 3rd nodes was significantly higher in the SWI compared to other cultivation methods. Among different genotypes, HD 2967 demonstrated the highest recorded value for lodging resistance capacity, followed by HD 2851, HD 3086, and HD 2894. In addition, adoption of the SWI at 20 cm × 20 cm enhanced crop grain yield by 36.9-41.6%, and biological yield by 27.5-29.8%. Significantly higher soil dehydrogenase activity (12.06 μg TPF g-1 soil hr-1), arylsulfatase activity (82.8 μg p-nitro phenol g-1 soil hr-1), alkaline phosphatase activity (3.11 n moles ethylene g-1 soil hr-1), total polysaccharides, soil microbial biomass carbon, and soil chlorophyll content were also noted under SWI over conventional method of the production. Further, increased root volumes, surface root density and higher NPK uptake were recorded under SWI at 20×20 cm in comparison to rest of the treatments. Among the tested wheat genotypes, HD-2967 and HD-3086 had demonstrated notable increases in grain and biological yields, as well as improvements in the photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) and chlorophyll content. Therefore, adoption of SWI at 20 cm ×20 cm (square planting) with cultivars HD 2967 might be the best strategy for enhancing crop productivity and resource-use efficiency under the similar wheat growing conditions of India and similar agro-ecotypes of the globe.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
A field experiment was conducted to study the short-term impact of sensor-based wastewater irrigation scheduling on chemical soil health in chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum morifolium Ramat.) at Water ...Technology Centre, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi during 2019–20. Experiment was conducted with following 6 treatments, viz. T1, Groundwater irrigation (GWI) at 25% Maximum Allowable Depletion (MAD), T2, GWI at 50% MAD, T3, GWI at 75% MAD, T4, Wastewater irrigation (WWI) at 25% MAD, T5, WWI at 50% MAD, T6, WWI at 75% MAD and was laid out in a randomized block design (RBD) in open field condition with 4 replications. Soil samples and quality of groundwater and wastewater were assessed during and after the experiment to quantify the chemical properties (pH, EC and OC), primary nutrients (NPK), micronutrients (Fe, Mn, Cu and Zn) and heavy metals (Ni, Pb, Cr and Cd). Results shows that pH and EC remains the same. Organic carbon, primary nutrient and micronutrients content significantly increased in wastewater irrigated soils and best result was observed in T5. Moreover, the content of heavy metals (Ni, Cr, Cd and Pb) in soils was significantly not changed with different wastewater irrigation treatments. Wastewater irrigation have beneficial impacts on soil chemical parameters in terms of higher amount of organic matter, primary and micronutrients in soil.
The growing popularity of nano-fertilization around the world for enhancing yield and nutrient use efficiency has been realized, however its influence on soil microbial structure is not fully ...understood. The purpose of carrying out this study was to assess the combined effect of nano and conventional fertilizers on the soil biological indicators and crop yield in a wheat-maize system. The results indicate that the at par grain yield of wheat and maize was obtained with application of 75% of recommended nitrogen (N) with full dose of phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) through conventional fertilizers along with nano-N (nano-urea) or nano-N plus nano-Zn sprays and N
PK i.e. business as usual (recommended dose of fertilizer). Important soil microbial property like microbial biomass carbon was found statistically similar with nano fertilizer-based management (N
PK + nano-N, and N
PK + nano-N + nano-Zn) and conventional management (N
PK), during both wheat and maize seasons. The experimental data indicated that the application of foliar spray of nano-fertilizers along with 75% N as basal is a sustainable nutrient management approach with respect to growth, yield and rhizosphere biological activity. Furthermore, two foliar sprays of nano-N or nano-N + nano-Zn curtailed N requirement by 25%, furthermore enhanced soil microbial diversity and the microbial community structure. The specific microbial groups, including Actinobacteria, Bacteroidia, and Proteobacteria, were present in abundance and were positively correlated with wheat and maize yield and soil microbial biomass carbon. Thus, one of the best nutrient management approaches for sustaining productivity and maintaining sound microbial diversity in wheat-maize rotation is the combined use of nano-fertilizers and conventional fertilizers.
A field experiment was conducted during the rainy (kharif) and winter (rabi) seasons of 2019–20 and 2020–21 at research farm of ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi to study the ...effect of various crop establishment methods and microbial consortia (Pusa decomposer) mediated in situ rice straw management options on zinc (Zn) concentration and uptake in rice (Oryza sativa L.) (cv. Pusa Basmati 1509) and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) (cv. HD 2967). The experiment was laid out in split-plot design (SPD) with 3 replications having 2 main plot (main factor) treatments, viz. aerobic rice (AR); and conventional transplanted (CT) rice in wet season; and 7 sub- plot (sub-factor) treatments, viz. Clean cultivation (removal of paddy straw); Paddy straw incorporation (PSI); Paddy straw mulching (PSM); PSI + Pusa decomposer (PD); PSM + PD; PSI + urea @20 kg/ha; and PSI + PD + urea @10 kg/ha in dry season. Findings showed that, in rice the zinc concentration (18.51 and 20.30 mg/kg in grain; 57.02 and 57.81 mg/kg in straw) and uptake (78.38 and 89.81 g/ha in grain; 427.1 and 434.6 g/ha in straw) were significantly superior in CT rice than AR in main plots during both the years of experiments. However, sub-plot treatments were non-significant in the zinc concentration and uptake. In wheat, among in situ rice straw management options (sub- plots), paddy straw incorporation + Pusa decomposer + Urea @10 kg/ha treatment significantly resulted in higher Zn concentration (38.08 and 39.03 mg/kg in grain; 28.24 and 29.01 mg/kg in straw) and uptake (185.0 and 191.9 g/ha in grain; 234.2 and 242.6 g/ha in straw) compared to other treatments and control (clean cultivation). The principal component analysis revealed that Zn uptake positively correlated with straw and grain yields in rice and wheat. Thus, the same treatment was found to be a better option for higher Zn concentration and uptake in the rice-wheat cropping system.
A field experiment was conducted at ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, Research Farm during winter (rabi) season 2021–22 to evaluate the effect of multi-nutrient carrier ...polyhalite and its combinations with variable doses of MOP on growth parameters, yield, and productivity of wheat. The application of 100% K (polyhalite), i.e. T8 resulted in significantly higher growth and yield parameters of wheat, viz. plant height, dry matter accumulation, tillers numbers, crop growth rate, leaf area index, grain yield (5.87 tonnes/ha). A 7.5% increase in grain yield was observed with the application of T8 over T11. So, a balanced and prolonged supply of available nutrients with polyhalite to crop in a sustained manner can be maintained.
Access to information and effective delivery can be improved by using multimedia as a tool for advisory services. Various factors contribute to the development of an effective multimedia-based ...agro-advisory model. Stakeholders’ perception plays a major role to design and validate it properly. To measure stakeholders’ perception towards multimedia-based agro-advsiory (Pusa Samachar), a multi-dimensional perception scale was developed using Polychoric Principal Component Analysis (PCA). The data pertaining to this study were collected from 150 farmers using Google forms in 2021 and from 225 farmers in 2022. These farmers were sampled using stratified two-stage sampling from five districts each from Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Punjab states. The majority of the farmers (68.6%) reported watching full weekly episode of agro-advisory telecasted as Pusa Samachar. Notably, farmers of Uttar Pradesh (54.67%) and Haryana (60.0%) showed affirmative perception; while Punjab (50.83%) had neutral perception towards Pusa Samachar model. Analysis of average perception score of farmers revealed that technical factor ranked I followed by linguistic factor (II), content and design factor (III) and timeliness factor (IV). Audio-visual quality, graphics, time duration of content, language, accent, and style of presentation with quality content could be considered as prime parameters for developing multimedia-based content. Location-specific, farmers’ centric language-based, and farmer participatory multimedia-based content should be created for better information availability and acceptance among farming community.
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