Strategies for improving nitrogen use efficiency: A review

Abstract

Nitrogen (N) is the most critical externally added input for any crop production system. The half of the global population directly or indirectly depends on nitrogenous fertilizers for food supply. Today, Rice, wheat, and maize are consuming more than 90% of total nitrogenous fertilizer used in cereals. Underuse of nitrogen is associated with lower crop production while overuse leads to several soil and environmental related consequences. Therefore, response to applied nitrogen and its use efficiency have to be monitored properly for obtaining the maximum potential and sustainable yield. Efficiency of applied nitrogenous fertilizers is very low due to its various losses i.e. volatilization, leaching, surface runoff and denitrification from soil-plant system. Therefore, the proper understanding of advanced soil and plant management practices which helps in enhancement of nitrogen recovery efficiency is one of the key factors to enhance crop output, decreasing cost of cultivation, and to maintain environmental quality which ultimately adds towards the goal of achieving long term sustainable production system. In this review, an attempt has been made summarize the locally as well as scientific soil and crop management technologies used for improving use efficiency of applied N. This paper also discusses nitrogen cycling in soil-plant systems, various N losses pathways, present status and most possible management options at the farm level for enhancing nitrogen use in crop production system.

Organic Manure Coupled with Inorganic Fertilizer: An Approach for the Sustainable Production of Rice by Improving Soil Properties and Nitrogen Use Efficiency

“…The current agricultural system heavily depends on chemical fertilizers, which negatively affect soil health, environment, and crop productivity [4,5,51]. In order to improve soil quality, crop production, and quality on a sustainable basis, chemical fertilizer management has recently become an essential aspect of today's research [10,52].…”

Optimization of Nitrogen in Durum Wheat in the Mediterranean Climate: The Agronomical Aspect and Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions

“…Nitrogen is a crucial mineral element and is involved in several fundamental compounds (amino acids, nucleic acids, chlorophyll, cytokines, polyamines, and secondary metabolites) essential for the biological plant cycle [3].…”

“…This increase in production is strongly related to the use of nitrogen, which is essential for the life of the crop and is a limiting input factor for the crop productivity [3]. Since the 1960s, there has been a ninefold increase in the use of nitrogen, and this is expected to grow by another 40-50% over the next 40 years [4].…”

Weed Management in Cowpea-A Review

“…) As a result of this, the productivity of cereals following a cowpea crop often increases and corresponds to 40-60 kg N equivalent besides increasing the net retunes and lowering the cost of cultivation. In the present scenario of decline in factor productivity , stagnation in crop yield and depression in farm income (Yadav et al, 2016a), which is posing a serious threat to food security, agricultural sustainability, soil and environmental health and rural agricultural economy in world inclusion of pulses may be adapted as a strategy to reduce the pace of aforesaid factors (Prasad, 2005;Yadav et al, 2012). In nutshell, diversification and intensification of cereal based cropping systems so as to sustain the farm productivity and profitability and farm livelihoods, conserve natural resource-base, and reduce farm and environmental risks, in this context, cowpea provide an excellent opportunity (Aggarwal et al, 2004).…”