Integrated Nutrient Management in Rice–Wheat Cropping System: An Evidence on Sustainability in the Indian Subcontinent through Meta-Analysis

Abstract

Over years of intensive cultivation and imbalanced fertilizer use, the soils of the Indiansubcontinent 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 managesoil health. However, owing to the steadily increasing demands for food by the overgrowingpopulations 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 thisregion have already recognized this problem and have modified farming systems towardintegrated nutrient management (INM) practices. The INM concept aims to design farmingsystems to ensure sustainability by improving soil health, while securing food for the populationby improving crop productivity. Therefore, this paper was synthesized to quantify the impact androle of INM in improving crop productivity and sustainability of the RWCS in the context of theIndian subcontinent through meta-analysis using 338 paired data during the period of 1989–2016.The meta-analysis of the whole data for rice and wheat showed a positive increase in the grainyield of both crops with the use of INM over inorganic fertilizers only (IORA), organic fertilizersonly (ORA), and control (no fertilizers; CO) treatments. The increase in grain yield was significantat p < 0.05 for rice in INM over ORA and CO treatments. For wheat, the increase in grain yield wassignificant at p < 0.05 in INM over IORA, ORA, and CO treatments. The yield differences in theINM treatment over IORA were 0.05 and 0.13 Mg ha−1, respectively, in rice and wheat crops. Thepercent yield increases in INM treatment over IORA, ORA, and CO treatments were 2.52, 29.2, and90.9, respectively, in loamy soil and 0.60, 24.9, and 93.7, respectively, in clayey soil. The net returnsincreased by 121% (INM vs. CO) in rice, and 9.34% (INM vs. IORA) and 127% (INM vs. CO) inwheat crop. Use of integrated nutrient management had a positive effect on soil properties ascompared to other nutrient management options. Overall, the yield gain and maintenance of soilhealth due to INM practices over other nutrient management practices in RWCS can be a viablenutrient management option in the Indian subcontinent.

Contrasting Impacts of Long-Term Application of Biofertilizers and Organic Manure on Grain Yield of Winter Wheat in North China Plain

“…Solar radiation, accumulated temperature, and precipitation were the major important meteorological factors that caused wheat grain yield changes from year to year [14,30,[43][44][45]. Hence, it could be explained by the meteorological conditions and potential grain yields in different growing seasons.…”

“…Research [25,26] reported that the wheat grain yields were comparable in the treatments that received 80 t ha −1 yr −1 of organic manure or 204-252 kg N ha −1 yr −1 chemical N-fertilizers. As for biofertilizers, [27][28][29] reported that application of one biofertilizers obtained from sewage sludge at 7.2 L ha −1 increased maize grain yield by 17% compared with the untreated control and [10,30,31] revealed that biofertilizers amendments reduced inorganic N-fertilizers by 25% without decreasing rice yield in India [32].…”

A meta-analysis of carbon storage in Indian soils under changing land-use systems for managing soil health and ensuring food security

“…For comparing SOC and crop yield to show the impact of proper management practice on to bring back the conditions of soil for restoring soil health and ensuring food security, data from supplementary file of database from Sharma et al (2019) was used that involve compared data of integrated nutrient management (INM) and inorganic alone for rice and wheat crop.…”

“…Several studies support that organics addition to the soil improves its health as well as ensure food security by managing yield as well as crop quality. Therefore, organics was integrated with inorganic fertilizer termed as INM and was compared with inorganic alone in rice and wheat crops (Sharma et al ., 2019) and the finding suggests that organics addition alongwith inorganic fertilizer improves the rice and wheat yield in most of the condition. The wheat yield was significantly increased in INM treatment over the treatment inorganic alone by 4.5% whereas rice yield was increased by 1.2% ( Figure 5).…”

Environment Resilient Rice Stubble Management Technique for Wheat Sowing in Zero Tillage Happy Seeder

“…However, successful zero tillage after combine-harvested rice is possible only with burning the rice straw and stubbles in rice furrows which may result in uneven sowing due frequent chopping drill and lifting of the drill to clear blockages (11,13). Then, most rice stubbles are burnt in the mechanized rice-wheat systems of Pakistan, as it allows for quick turnaround between crops being rapid and cheap way.…”