A field experiment was conducted at Agricultural Research Station, Vizianagaram, Andhra Pradesh during kharif, 2019 to evaluate the fertilizer use efficiency of improved finger millet cultivars. Experiment was conducted in split-plot design with NPK fertilizer doses as main plot treatments and finger millet cultivars as sub plot treatments. Experimental results indicated that 125% recommended dose of fertilizer significantly increased plant height, productive tillers, earhead length, number of fingers per earhead, grain yield and straw yield apart from recording higher net returns and B:C. Among four improved cultivars, VR 1101 and WN 559 have outperformed in terms of yield and economics than other cultivars and national check varieties.
Since the Green Revolution era, the farming sector exploited the soils for food, fiber, fodder, etc., with high input responsive varieties that excavated vast amounts of chemical fertilizers. The burgeoning population of the country calls for a commensurate increase in food production to satisfy the demands of its inhabitants. Further, due to innovative mechanization in agriculture, specialization, and government policy programs, the productivity of food has soared. Subsequently, it ensued greater productions and minimized food prizes. Regrettably, intensive agricultural operations degraded the soil quality and now reached such a stage where without external inputs, growers unable to achieve their targeted yields. India has lost 68% innate productive capacity of agricultural soils. This plunder of land’s quality continues unabated, further resulting in low nutrient use efficiency and insufficient yields of agroecosystems. Therefore, this is high time to realize the dreadful impacts of intensive crop production on the natural ecosystem. Irrefutably, both soil and its nutrients are the wondrous gifts of nature to humankind; utilizing them sustainably is imperative. The present chapter highlights the impacts of non-judicious nutrient management on soil productivity, nutrient use efficiency, and novel technologies required to promote sustainable agriculture and achieve the target of doubling farmer’s income in India.
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