Enhancing Nutrient Use Efficiency through Nano Urea in Pigeon Pea Based Intercropping System

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted at Birsa Agricultural University Ranchi during the kharif seasons of 2021 and 2022 to evaluate N uptake and Nutrient Use Efficiency (NUE) for nitrogen as influenced by pigeon pea-based intercropping systems and nitrogen management. Pigeon pea + sweet corn intercropping systems with 100% recommended nitrogen (N1), recorded significantly higher total nitrogen uptake (196.6 kg/ha) which was at par with 50% RDN + 2 spray of nano urea (189.1 kg/ha). Whereas partial factor productivity (PFP), agronomic efficiency (AE), apparent recovery use efficiency (ARUE), economic nutrient use efficiency (ENUE), partial nutrient balance (PNB) of pigeon pea + sweet corn intercropping was recorded maximum (27.4 kg/kg, 13.4 kg/kg, 64.8 %, 1.66 kg yield/ ₹ invested in nitrogen & 0.88 kg/kg) respectively, while in nitrogen management, 50% RDN + 2 sprays of Nano urea performed better in terms of PFP, AE, ARUE, ENUE & PNB (52.5 kg/kg, 24.1 kg/kg, 115.4 %, 3.20 kg yield/ ₹ invested in nitrogen & 1.43 kg/kg respectively) when compared to the other nitrogen management.