Integrated nutrient management for enhancing productivity, nutrient uptake, soil fertility and economics of pearl millet under semi-arid Punjab conditions
Pearl millet is an important climate-resilient cereal crop; however, its productivity remains below potential due to inefficient nitrogen management and widespread zinc deficiency, particularly in the light-textured soils of semi-arid Punjab. Therefore, there is a need to develop an integrated nitrogen and zinc management strategy to enhance nutrient-use efficiency, crop productivity, soil fertility, and economic returns. Based on this, a field experiment was conducted during kharif 2024 and 2025 at Guru Kashi University, Punjab, India, to evaluate the effect of nitrogen and zinc levels on growth, yield, nutrient uptake, soil fertility, and economics of pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum L.). The experiment was laid out in a randomized block design (RBD) with ten treatments comprising different nitrogen levels (80, 100 and 120% recommended dose) applied alone and in combination with zinc at 8 and 10 kg/ha. Integrated application of the recommended nitrogen dose with 100% RDN + 10 kg Zn/ha significantly enhanced dry matter accumulation, effective tillers, grain and stover yield, nutrient uptake, and economic returns over the control. Soil pH, EC, and organic carbon remained unaffected, while available nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and zinc showed slight improvement. Higher nitrogen application beyond the recommended dose did not provide additional yield benefits, emphasizing the importance of balanced fertilization. The study indicates that 100% RDN + 10 kg Zn/ha is an effective, sustainable, and economically viable nutrient management strategy for pearl millet under semi-arid Punjab conditions.
Wheat productivity is constrained by declining soil fertility and low nutrient-use efficiency resulting from the continuous dependence on chemical fertilizers. Integrated Nutrient Management, through the judicious integration of organic, inorganic, and biological nutrient sources, offers a sustainable approach to enhance crop growth, yield, soil health, and long-term productivity; however, its effectiveness in combination with nano-fertilizers requires further evaluation. Therefore, a field experiment was planned during the Rabi season of 2024-25 and 2025-26, at the research farm of Maharishi Markandeshwar (Deemed to be University), Mullana. The experiment was laid out in a two-factorial randomized block design with three replications. Factor A comprised two wheat varieties (WH 1270 and DBW 222), while Factor B consisted of eight nutrient management treatments involving RDF, vermicompost (2 t/ha), foliar nano urea (1250 mL/ha), foliar nano DAP (1250 mL/ha), and Azotobacter applied alone or in combination. The pooled data revealed that the variety DBW 222 showed significantly higher plant height (94.34 cm), number of tillers/meter row length (65.77), DMA/meter row length (224.82 g), LAI (5.56), spike length (9.84 cm), grains/spikes (48.31), effective tillers/m2 (300.80), test weight (40.27 g), grain yield (5042 kg/ha) and straw yield (6651 kg/ha) over variety WH 1270. Among various nutrient combinations, maximum plant height (104.65 cm), number of tillers/meter row length (70.51), DMA/meter row length (251.73 g), LAI (6.18), spike length (10.88 cm), grains/spikes (51.37), effective tillers/m2 (322.57), test weight (42.21 g), grain yield (5642 kg/ha) and straw yield (7439 kg/ha) was recorded with treatment T3 (100% RDF with vermicompost @ 2t/ha) which was found at par with T5 and T4. These treatments were found superior over T2, T6, T8 and T7. The least were found in T1
Sanjeev Kumar, I.S. Singh· Research on Crops· 0 citations
A field experiment was conducted during the kharif 2022 and rabi 2022–2023 seasons at the Research Farm of Rani Lakshmi Bai Central Agricultural University, Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh, India, to evaluate the effects of different nutrient-management strategies on crop productivity, system productivity, production efficiency, land-use efficiency, and economics of a maize (Zea mays L.)–mustard (Brassica juncea L.) cropping system under semi-arid conditions. The experiment was laid out in a randomized block design with seven nutrient-management treatments comprising 100% of the recommended dose of fertilizers (RDF), organic farming, natural farming, integrated nutrient management (INM), site-specific nutrient management (SSNM), farmers’ practice, and 75% RDF integrated with green manuring, with three replications. Site-specific nutrient management (SSNM), comprising 100% of the recommended nutrients supplemented with Zn @ 5 kg ha⁻¹, B @ 1 kg ha⁻¹, S @ 60 kg ha⁻¹, and Fe @ 1 kg ha⁻¹, recorded the highest growth and yield attributes in both crops. In maize, SSNM produced the maximum plant height (205.46 cm), grain yield (4660 kg ha⁻¹), straw yield (9735 kg ha⁻¹), and biological yield (14396 kg ha⁻¹). Similarly, in mustard, it recorded the highest plant height (248.77 cm), siliquae plant⁻¹ (353.33), seed yield (2026 kg ha⁻¹), stover yield (4968 kg ha⁻¹), and biological yield (6994 kg ha⁻¹). The same treatment also resulted in the highest mustard equivalent yield (3702 kg ha⁻¹), production efficiency (14.76 kg ha⁻¹ day⁻¹), and land-use efficiency (68.68%). Economic analysis revealed that SSNM generated the maximum gross and net returns from both maize (₹128,441 and ₹77,051 ha⁻¹, respectively) and mustard (₹127,829 and ₹83,417 ha⁻¹, respectively), whereas the highest benefit:cost ratio in mustard (1.96) was recorded under 75% RDF integrated with green manuring. The findings demonstrate that site-specific nutrient management integrating balanced macro- and micronutrient application substantially enhanced crop productivity, system efficiency, and profitability of the maize–mustard cropping system and can be recommended as a sustainable nutrient management strategy for the semi-arid Bundelkhand region.
Artika Singh, Shivank Prajapati, R. Choudhary et al.· International Journal of Pla...· 0 citations
Pearl millet is a major cereal crop of the semi-arid regions; however, its productivity is constrained by low nitrogen-use efficiency, suboptimal plant geometry, and poor soil fertility. Therefore, optimising nitrogen scheduling, plant geometry, and biofertilizer inoculation is essential to enhance productivity, nutrient uptake, soil health, and profitability under semi-arid conditions. An experiment was conducted during the kharif seasons of 2023 and 2024 at Rohtak, Haryana, India, to evaluate the effect of nitrogen scheduling, plant geometry, and microbial inoculation on yield, nutrient uptake, soil health, and economics of pearl millet. The experiment was laid out in factorial randomized block design with three replications comprising three nitrogen scheduling treatments, two plant geometries, and three microbial inoculation treatments. Results revealed that application of nitrogen in three splits significantly improved grain yield, grain nitrogen uptake, protein content, and post-harvest soil available nitrogen compared to a single basal application. Wider spacing of 60 × 15 cm recorded higher grain yield and net returns over closer spacing. Combined inoculation with Azospirillum + phosphate-solubilising bacteria + arbuscular mycorrhiza significantly enhanced microbial biomass carbon, nutrient uptake, and grain quality. The integrated treatment also produced the highest economic returns with a benefit:cost ratio.
Bhavana., Baljinder Singh, K. Bansal et al.· Research on Crops· 0 citations
Aims: The study aims to compare the effects of different nutrient management strategies on maize productivity, nutrient uptake, soil fertility and profitability in Alfisols.
Study Design: The field experiment was conducted in a randomised block design with seven nutrient management treatments and three replications.
Place and Duration of Study: Agricultural Research Station, Tornala, Professor Jayashankar Telangana Agricultural University, Siddipet district, Telangana, India, during Kharif 2019.
Methodology: Maize hybrid DHM-117 was grown under seven nutrient management treatments: the recommended dose of fertiliser with farmyard manure, soil-test-based fertilisation, farmers’ practice, organic farming, integrated nutrient management, natural farming and an unfertilised control. Growth parameters, yield attributes, grain and stover yields, soil pH, electrical conductivity, organic carbon, available nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, plant nutrient concentrations, nutrient uptake and economic returns were recorded and analysed using analysis of variance.
Results: Integrated nutrient management produced the highest grain yield (6963 kg ha⁻¹) and stover yield (8945 kg ha⁻¹), together with superior cob weight, grain weight per cob and 100-grain weight compared with the other treatments. It also recorded the highest soil organic carbon (0.63%), available phosphorus (25.91 kg ha⁻¹), and total uptake of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (196.6, 45.5 and 150.9 kg ha⁻¹, respectively), and achieved the highest benefit–cost ratio (2.00). Soil-test-based fertilisation showed comparable yield performance and favourable nutrient status, whereas organic and natural farming improved selected soil-quality indicators but resulted in lower yields and benefit–cost ratios during the study period.
Conclusion: Under the conditions of this study, integrated nutrient management was the most effective and balanced strategy for enhancing maize yield, nutrient uptake, soil fertility and profitability in Alfisols, while soil-test-based fertilisation emerged as a viable alternative.
Sainath Nagula, A. Ramanjaneyulu, D. Sravanthi et al.· Journal of Advances in Biolo...· 0 citations
Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is one of the most important staple food crops in India and maintaining productivity while sustaining soil fertility is a major challenge in intensive cultivation systems. Over-reliance on chemical fertilisers has reduced soil fertility, decreased nutrient use efficiency, and increased production costs. Integrated Nutrient Management (INM), which combines inorganic fertilisers with organic manures and biofertilisers, has been suggested as an appropriate approach to enhance crop productivity, soil fertility, and farmers’ economic returns. The current study was conducted during the Kharif season of 2025 at the Agriculture Research and Development Centre, Vikrant University, Sakatpura, Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, to assess the influence of various INM practices on the growth, yield, soil fertility, nutrient use efficiency, and economics of rice (cultivar JR-81). The experiment was arranged in a randomised block design (RBD) with ten treatments and three replications. The treatments comprised different combinations of RDF, FYM, green manure, and biofertilisers. Integrated nutrient management had a marked effect on the growth, yield, soil, and economic characteristics of rice. In terms of growth performance, the application of RDF and FYM (T3) recorded the maximum plant height (113 cm), maximum number of tillers per plant (22.5), maximum panicle length (29 cm), maximum grain yield (59.40 q ha⁻¹), straw yield (83.15 q ha⁻¹), and maximum agronomic efficiency (12.00 kg grain kg⁻¹ nutrient applied). The application of RDF and FYM gave the highest gross return (₹165,120 ha⁻¹) and net return (₹98,464 ha⁻¹), indicating its economic superiority. In contrast, the integration of RDF, FYM, green manure, and biofertilisers (T4) had a greater effect on post-harvest soil fertility by increasing soil organic carbon and the availability of N, P, and K while maintaining a favourable soil pH. T8 recorded the highest partial factor productivity (68.24 kg grain kg⁻¹ nutrient applied). The study showed an overall increase in crop growth and productivity, nutrient use efficiency, soil quality, and profit under INM compared with the control and sole chemical fertiliser application. Although the combination of RDF and FYM (T3) was the best treatment for increasing grain yield and net income, the addition of green manure and biofertiliser (T4) also contributed to improved soil fertility and system sustainability. Therefore, INM is a feasible and sustainable approach to rice cultivation in Gwalior district, Madhya Pradesh.
Harsh Kumar Sinha, U. Bhadauria, S. Singh et al.· Asian Journal of Soil Scienc...· 0 citations
Mung bean (Vigna radiata L.) is a short-duration pulse crop of global importance, valued for its nutritional quality, nitrogen-fixing ability, and adaptability to semi-arid climates. In Afghanistan, particularly under Kabul agro-climatic conditions, productivity remains below global averages due to poor soil fertility, limited access to improved varieties, and inadequate nutrient management. This review synthesizes recent evidence (2022–2026) on organic and inorganic fertilizer practices in mung bean cultivation. Organic amendments such as poultry manure at higher application rates (8–10 t ha⁻¹) significantly enhance vegetative growth, pod formation, and grain yield [1,2,4]. Inorganic NPK fertilizers provide immediate nutrient availability but risk long-term soil degradation if applied alone [3,6]. Integrated nutrient management (INM), combining mineral fertilizers with organic inputs, improves soil fertility, microbial activity, and sustainability, offering superior productivity outcomes [7,11,12]. Improved varieties such as Enam demonstrate positive responses under INM strategies, underscoring the importance of genotype × environment × management interactions [2,5,9]. Recent studies highlight biofertilizers and micronutrient supplementation as promising approaches to further enhance nodulation, nitrogen fixation, and seed quality [3,8,10]. Key research gaps remain in varietal performance, soil fertility constraints, and region-specific INM practices. Adoption of integrated fertilizer management can substantially improve mung bean productivity and soil health in Kabul and similar semi-arid regions, contributing to food security and sustainable agriculture.
Shafiullah Mohmand, Prof. Mohammad Hamid Osmankhil· International Journal of Cur...· 0 citations
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