Nutrients availability and yield of wheat under different integrated nutrient management practices in rice-wheat cropping system: A Review

Agricultural sciences

Over years of intensive cultivation and imbalanced fertilizer use, the soils of the Indian subcontinent have become deficient in several nutrients and are impoverished in organic matter. Recently, this region has started emphasizing a shift from inorganic to organic farming to manage soil health. However, owing to the steadily increasing demands for food by the overgrowing populations of this region, a complete shift to an organic farming system is not possible. The rice–wheat cropping system (RWCS) is in crisis because of falling or static yields. The nations of this region have already recognized this problem and have modified farming systems toward integrated nutrient management (INM) practices. The INM concept aims to design farming systems to ensure sustainability by improving soil health, while securing food for the population by improving crop productivity. The maximum number of effective tillers, grains per ear, ear length, test weight, grain, straw and biological yields recorded in 120 kg N + 40 kg P2O5 ha-1 fertilizer levels also proved significantly superior to lower levels of fertilizers. The growth, development, yield attributes of both rice and wheat was found to be best when 50% N through FYM and 50% NPK to rice and 100% NPK to wheat. The improvement in yield attributes and yield of crop was recorded with the application of T4- 100% RDF + Vermicompost (2tha-1) + PSB which was at par with the application of T5-75%RDF+Vermicompost (2tha-1)+PSB and T3- 100% RDF + Vermicompost (2tha-1). Therefore, there is a need to improve nutrient supply system in terms of integrated nutrient management involving the use of chemical fertilizers in conjunction with organic manures coupled with input through biological processes. However, the role of major nutrients on crop physiology and the effect of these nutrients on yield and yield components of cereal crops in general and rice-wheat in particular are unsatisfactory. The role of balanced fertilizer is the application of essential plant nutrients in light proportion and in optimum quantity for a specific soil crop condition in alleviating the yield, and its attributes of rice-wheat production is important. In association with this, research on integrated nutrient management in rice-wheat and its effect on yield, yield components and quality parameters are significance. Thus, INM approach is not only a reliable way for obtaining fairly high productivity with increased FUE but also an alternative practice towards sustainable agriculture.

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