Combining Site-Specific Nutrient Allocation Tools Can Decrease Input Demands in No-Till Wheat Farming

Abstract

ABSTRACT Wheat cultivated under conservation agriculture faces challenges in nutrient management due to altered soil dynamics and heavy residue loads. This often necessitates excessive nutrient applications to address the nutritional demands of the crop. Conducted at the Norman E. Borlaug Crop Research Centre during the winter seasons of 2020–21 and 2021–22, this study explored the effects of different nitrogen (N) application strategies on the ‘HD 2967’ wheat cultivar planted amidst rice residues using a super-seeder. The Nutrient Expert® (NE) combined with LCC-based N top dressing (NE+LCC) demonstrated the most optimal nutrient balance, leading to a 5.9% increase in grain yield and a 42.8% increase in dry matter accumulation compared to traditional methods. The composite SSNM treatments like NE+SPAD and NE+LCC recorded 48.9% and 41.9% higher SPAD values, respectively, as compared to RDF. The NE treatments resulted in significant savings, with a reduction of 60% in phosphorus usage and 5% in potassium. Economically, the NE treatment proved superior, showcasing a 12.7% higher net return compared to the RDF approach. The study concludes that site-specific nutrient management, facilitated by advanced tools like LCC and SPAD, when integrated with software-driven strategies, boosts wheat yield and fosters sustainable farming practices. This approach minimizes environmental impacts by optimizing nutrient applications and aligns with the sustainability development goal of responsible consumption and production.