Precision nitrogen management on crop production: A review

Abstract

Nitrogen (N) is the most essential nutrient for plants because of its value as a growth and yield determinant nutrient. Significant, and rapid increase in N application rates have occurred, but often at the expense of poor usage performance. The study enlights the causes of nitrogen loss in the environment, the need for its management and ways for precision management. Researches reveal only 50% of the applied fertilizer is uptake by the plants and the remaining is lost in the form of different pathways like denitrification, leaching, and volatilization that is very harmful for the biodiversity. Nitrogen management necessitates extra caution in its application in order to avoid major losses and optimize performance. Precision nitrogen management has been found especially useful to achieve the goals of improved productivity and higher nitrogen use efficiency (NUE). Leaf color charts, sensor based green seeker and chlorophyll meter like decisions tools in precision nitrogen management help in assisting the prediction of the need for N in the crops leading to higher nitrogen use efficiency without any reduction of yield. On the other hand, the use of urea briquettes deep placement supplements the nitrogen management techniques for higher NUE and crop productivity as well as sustain agriculture by avoiding the leakage of nitrogen to the environment thereby reducing the pollution. Hence, the synchronization between crop demand and nitrogen supply using the tools helps to minimize nitrogen losses, maximize nitrogen use efficiency and increase productivity.