Soil-Test-Based Balanced Nutrient Management for Sustainable Intensification and Food Security: Case from Indian Semi-arid Tropics

Wani, S P and Chander, G and Sahrawat, K L and Pardhasaradhi, G (2015) Soil-Test-Based Balanced Nutrient Management for Sustainable Intensification and Food Security: Case from Indian Semi-arid Tropics. Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis, 46 (1). pp. 20-33. ISSN 1532-2416

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Abstract

In the semi-arid tropics (SAT), there exists large yield gaps (two- to four-fold) between current farmers’ yields and achievable yields. Apart from water shortages, soil degradation is responsible for the existing gaps and inefficient utilization of whatever scarce water resource is available. On-farm soil fertility testing across different states in Indian SAT during 2001–2012 showed widespread new deficiencies of sulfur (46–96 percent), boron (56–100 percent), and zinc (18–85 percent) in addition to already known phosphorus (21–74 percent) and nitrogen (11–76 percent, derived from soil carbon). Based on these results, a new fertilizer management strategy was designed to meet varying soil fertility needs at the level of a cluster of villages by applying a full nutrient dose if >50 percent fields were deficient and a half dose in the case of fields <50 percent deficient. Improved nutrient management significantly increased crop productivity in groundnut (Arachis hypogaea) (17–86 percent), sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) (30–55 percent), soybean (Glycine max) (10–40 percent), and maize (Zea mays) (10–50 percent) with favorable benefit-cost ratios (1.43–15.2) over farmers’ practice. Nutrient balancing improved nitrogen-fertilizer-use efficiency in respect of plant uptake from soil, transport into grain, use efficiency in food production, and grain nutritional quality. Balanced-nutrient-managed plots showed better post harvest soil fertility. Residual benefits of sulfur, boron, and zinc were observed in up to three succeeding seasons. Results of soil-test-based nutrient-management trials have sensitized policy makers in some states for desired policy orientation to benefit millions of smallholders in the Indian SAT.

Item Type:	Article
Divisions:	RP-Resilient Dryland Systems
CRP:	CGIAR Research Program on Dryland Systems
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Crop productivity, Fertilizer-use efficiency, Micronutrients, Natural Resource Management, Soil Health, Sulfur
Subjects:	Others > Soil Science Others > Agriculture-Farming, Production, Technology, Economics
Depositing User:	Mr Ramesh K
Date Deposited:	26 Mar 2015 06:51
Last Modified:	23 Mar 2017 11:10
URI:	http://oar.icrisat.org/id/eprint/8632
Official URL:	http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00103624.2014.988087
Projects:	UNSPECIFIED
Funders:	We gratefully acknowledge the support from Sir Dorabji Tata Trust, Indian Council of Agricultural Research, and government of India and government of Karnataka in undertaking on-farm research for impact.
Acknowledgement:	Authors are thankful to C. Rajesh and P. V. N. Rao for help in on-station experimentation; P. J. Kamadi, Satish Gahukar, C. K. Pal, R. Sudi, and Ch. Srinivasa Rao for help in on-farm experimentation; and M. Ismail and M. I. Ahmed for geographic information system interpolation of study sites. We also appreciate department of agriculture (DoA), Karnataka for sharing soil data for fifteen districts. We sincerely thank and acknowledge DoA Karnataka, Krishi Vignana Kendras (KVKs), and nongovernmental organizations such as Bharatiya Agro Industries Foundation (BAIF), Deep Foundation, Bhopal Yuva Paryavaran Shikshan and Samajik Sansthan ( BYPASS), BAIF Institute of Rural Development (BIRDBAIF), Aakruthi Agricultural Associates, Acharya NG Ranga Agricultural University University - Krishi Vignana Kendra (ANGRAU-KVK), and Sri Aurobindo Institute for rural Development - Krishi Vignana Kendra (SAIRD-KVK) in reaching out to farmers for on-farm research for impact.
Links:	Google Scholar

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