Nutrient use efficiency (NUE) of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) as affected by NPK fertilization

Nabin Rawal,Shree Prasad Vista,Keshab Raj Pande,Renuka Shrestha,Rahul Datta

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0262771

Nabin Rawal, Shree Prasad Vista + Show 3 more

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https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0262771

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Abstract

Nutrient use efficiency is crucial for increasing crop yield and quality while reducing fertilizer inputs and minimizing environmental damage. The experiments were carried out in silty clay loam soil of Lalitpur, Nepal, to examine how different amounts of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) influenced crop performance and nutrient efficiency indices in wheat during 2019/20 and 2020/21. The field experiment comprised three factorial randomized complete block designs that were replicated three times. N levels (100, 125, 150 N kg ha-1), P levels (25, 50, 75 P2O5 kg ha-1), and K levels (25, 50, 75 K2O kg ha-1) were three factors evaluated, with a total of 27 treatment combinations. Grain yields were significantly increased by N and K levels and were optimum @ 125 kg N ha-1 and @ 50 kg K2O ha-1 with grain yields of 6.33 t ha-1 and 6.30 t ha-1, respectively. Nutrient levels influenced statistically partial factor productivity, internal efficiency, partial nutrient budget, recovery efficiency, agronomic efficiency, and physiological efficiency of NPK for wheat. Nutrient efficiency was found to be higher at lower doses of their respective nutrients. Higher P and K fertilizer rates enhanced wheat N efficiencies, and the case was relevant for P and K efficiencies as well. Wheat was more responsive to N and K fertilizer, and a lower rate of P application reduced N and K fertilizer efficiency. This study recommends to use N @ 125 kg ha-1, P2O5 @ 25 kg ha-1 and K2O @ 50 kg ha-1 as an optimum rate for efficient nutrient management in wheat in mid-hills of Nepal.

Highlights

For more than 35% of the world’s population, wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is the primary source of nutrition [1], providing more than 45% of calories and more than 40% of protein to the world’s population [2]
There was no significant response of phosphorus level on grain yield beyond 25 kg P2O5 kg ha-1 though the highest grain yield of 6.38 t ha-1 were measured with application of P2O5 @ 75 kg ha-1
Knowledge of the appropriate fertilizer rate and crop nutrient requirements is critical for farmers to enhance crop yields and nutrient use efficiency

Summary

Introduction

For more than 35% of the world’s population, wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is the primary source of nutrition [1], providing more than 45% of calories and more than 40% of protein to the world’s population [2]. In Nepal, wheat ranks as third major crops which is being cultivated on 707,505 ha, producing 2,185,289 metric tons with a low productivity of 3.09 t ha-1 [3] as compared to other developed countries such as China (5.63 t ha-1) [FAOSTAT; www.fao. Nutrient use efficiency of wheat as affected by fertilization

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