Nutrient Management Practices Research Articles

Effects of Different Nutrient Management Methods on Growth and Yield of Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.)

A field experiment was conducted during the Rabi season of the year 2022-2023 at the KVK Farm, Mahendergarh of CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar during Rabi season 2022-23 with the objective to study the effect of different nutrient management practices on growth and yield of barley. The experiment containing eleven treatments viz. Control, 100% RDF (60 kg N + 30 kg P2O5 + 15 kg K2O ha-1, 100% RDF) + Azotobactor + PSB, 50% RDF + Azotobactor + PSB, 50% RDF + 50% RDN through Vermicompost, 50% RDF + 50% RDN through Vermicompost+ Azotobactor + PSB, 75% RDF + Azotobactor + PSB, 75% RDF + 25% RDN through Vermicompost, 75% RDF + 25% RDN through Vermicompost + Azotobactor + PSB, 100% RDN through vermicompost and 100% RDN through vermicompost + Azotobactor + PSB. All the growth and yield parameters increased significantly with75% R.D.F + 25% N through Vermicompost. The growth characters like plant height (cm) and number of tillers/mrl were significantly higher under 75% R.D.F + 25% N through Vermicompost + Azotobactor + PSB as compared to other nutrient combinations. The yield components like spike length (cm), number of grains spike-1, grain yield (kg ha-1) and straw yield (kg ha-1) were significantly higher under 75% R.D.F + 25% N through Vermicompost+ Azotobactor + PSB. Harvest index and 1000-grain weight (g) were not influenced significantly due to different nutrient combinations The nitrogen and protein content in grain were obtained higher with 75% R.D.F + 25% N through Vermicompost + Azotobactor + PSB which was significantly higher than rest of treatments. Thus, it can be concluded that a dose of 75% R.D.F + 25% N through Vermicompost + Azotobactor + PSB may be most suitable nutrient combination for achieving higher growth and yield of barley.

Influence of row spacing and organic nutrient management practices on growth, yield and nutrient uptake of chia (Salvia hispanica)

The field experiment was conducted during rainy (kharif) seasons of 2020–21 and 2021–22 at Zonal Agricultural Research Station, Vishweshwaraiah Canal Farm, Mandya, Karnataka, to study the consequences of row spacing and organic nutrient management practices on growth, yield and nutrient uptake of chia (Salvia hispanica L.). The experiment was conducted in a factorial randomized complete block design (Factorial-RCBD), with 12 treatment combinations replicated thrice. The treatments comprised of 2 spacings (45 cm × 15 cm and 60 cm × 15 cm) and 6 organic nutrient management practices [application of 75 and 100% recommended dose of nitrogen (RDN) equivalent compost along with the application of Jeevamrutha at sowing and 30 days after sowing (DAS)]. The pooled mean results of 2-years revealed that row spacing and organic nutrient management practices significantly influenced the performance of chia. Plant height, number of branches/plant, total dry matter production, and yield variables such as spike number and spike length were all significantly greater in 60 cm × 15 cm spacing with the application of 100% RDN equivalent compost + application of Jeevamrutha at sowing and 30 DAS. The same treatment also recorded significantly higher nutrient uptake (66.35, 12.91, and 52.27, NPK kg/ha, respectively). Whereas, significantly higher seed yield (1015.47 kg/ha) and leaf area index (1.72) were gained with 45 cm × 15 cm + 100% RDN equivalent compost + application of Jeevamrutha at sowing and 30 DAS.

Response of N, P & K Uptake Pattern under the Different Integrated Nutrient Management Practices on Potato, Solanum tuberosum L., Crop

The experiment was carried out in a Randomized Block Design treatments 8 viz. T1 Control,T2 FYM @ 30 t/ha) + biofertilizer (PSB), T3 poultry manure @ 5 t/ha + biofertilizer (PSB),T4 vermicompost @ 7.5 t/ha + biofertilizer (PSB), T5 FYM @ 10 t/ha + poultry manure @ 1.7 t/ha +vermicompost 2.7 t/ha + biofertilizer (PSB), T6 67% RDF through inorganic sources + 33% RDF through organic sources i.e. FYM + biofertilizer (PSB), T7 33% RDF through inorganic sources + 67% RDF through organic sources i.e. FYM + biofertilizer (PSB) and T8 Farmer practices (through organic). All the treatment combinations were replicated three times. The soil of the experiment field was silty loam in texture and medium in fertility status with the pH values 8.1, organic carbon 0.31%. The available nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium were 140.0, 15.2, and 240 kg ha-1 respectively.

Weed dynamics, yield and economics of winter transplanted organic chia (Salvia hispanica L.) under nutrient and weed management

An experiment was conducted during winter (rabi) season of 2021–22 at Agricultural Research Station, Chhatabar, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan (Deemed to be) University, Bhubaneswar, Odisha to study the effect of weed and nutrient management practices on weed dynamics, yield and economics of winter transplanted organic chia (Salvia hispanica L.). The experiment was conducted in split plot design having 6 weed and 5 nutrient management practices with three replications. Among 6 weed management practices, hoeing and weeding twice at 20 and 35 days after transplanting (DAT) recorded the minimum density and biomass of weeds with weed control efficiency of 85 and 79.4% at 40 DAT and harvest, respectively. Nerium leaf aqueous extract (NLAE) 5% + castor leaf aqueous extract (CLAE) 5% + manual weeding at 35 DAT proved equally effective in weed control. Hoeing and weeding twice with 9 t/ha FYM + green manuring + Jeevamrit gave the seed, oil and protein yield of 730, 204 and 145 kg/ha, as against 720, 205 and 136 kg/ha, respectively. Weed management by NLAE 5% + CLAE 5% + manual weeding integrated with 9 t/ha FYM + green manuring + Jeevamrit and both, being statistically at par, proved to be significantly superior to all other treatment combinations. These two treatment combinations recorded statistically similar net return and return per rupee investment, and proved significantly superior to all others.

Microbial population and yield of rice–wheat system under variable irrigation and nutrient management

A field experiment was conducted during rainy (kharif) season of 2018–19 and winter (rabi) season of 2019–20 at the Water Management Research Farm of CSK Himachal Pradesh Agricultural University, Palampur, Kangra, Himachal Pradesh to study the effect of moisture and nutrient management practices on different soil microbial entities and crop yields in rice (Oryza sativa L.)–wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) system. Experiment was laid out in a split-plot design with 3 replications. Treatments comprised of 3 irrigation levels, viz. Recommended critical stages regimes; Irrigation at 0.8 CPE (cumulative pan evaporation) (rice) and 0.6 CPE (wheat); Irrigation at 1.0 CPE (rice) and 1.0 CPE (wheat) assigned to main-plots and 4 nutrient management practices, viz. Inorganic; Organic; Natural farming; and Integrated management allotted to sub-plots. Irrigation at critical stages resulted in significantly higher rice yield, bacterial, azotobacter, phosphate solubilizing bacteria (PSB), actinomycetes population. However, fungi population increased under higher moisture regimes. In case of wheat crop, irrigation at 1.0 CPE resulted in a significantly higher yield (7.5% higher over irrigation at critical stages) in both the years of study. Organic and integrated nutrient management practices being statistically at par with each other recorded significantly higher microbial population. A significantly higher fungi population was, however, recorded with natural farming. The highest crop yields were obtained with integrated nutrient management (3.4 t/ha rice and 3.6 t/ha wheat in second year). The best combination for rice was irrigation at critical stages along with integrated nutrient management. Whereas, for wheat irrigation at 1.0 CPE with same nutrient management proved to be the best. Hence it is recommended to follow integrated nutrient management and irrigation at critical stages in rice and at 1.0 CPE in wheat for higher productivity as well as for improved biological properties of soil.

Productivity and profitability of rice (Oryza sativa) influenced by customized fertilizers under rice-wheat cropping system

A field experiment was conducted at Agronomy Research Farm, Acharya Narendra Deva University of Agriculture and Technology, Kumarganj, Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, on silty loam soil during 2016–17 and 2017–18 to study the productivity and profitability of rice (Oryza sativa L.) influenced by customized fertilizers in rice-wheat cropping system. The experiment comprised of 6 nutrient management practices, viz. T1, control; T2, recommended dose of fertilizer (RDF); T3, Soil test-based recommendation (STR); T4, Indo-Gulf customized fertilizer; T5, TCL customized fertilizer and T6, Farmer’s practice. The experiment was laid out in a randomized block design with 4 replications. Results revealed that soil test-based recommendation showed significantly higher grain yield (4.88 t/ha), straw yield (7.53 t/ha) of rice, maximum number of effective tillers (438.6/m2), higher length of panicle (25.05 cm), maximum number of grains/panicles (135.10) and test weight (23.81g) over farmer’s practice and RDF, while it was at par with TCL customized fertilizer and Indo-Gulf customized fertilizer. The higher buildup of organic soil carbon (0.43%) and available N (174.11 kg/ha), P (18.98 kg/ha), S (14.88 ppm), DTPA-Zn (0.65 ppm) and B (0.55 ppm) in was maintained or slightly increased in soil test-based recommendation and customized fertilizers applied plots. While higher availability of K (259.80 kg/ha) was found in RDF. The higher net returns (32.58 × 103 `/ha) per rupee investment and B:C ratio (0.82) was also recorded in Soil test-based recommendation followed by Indo-Gulf customized fertilizer and TCL customized fertilizer.

Demonstration of Integrated Nutrient Management Practices on Yield, Yield Attributes and Economics of Pomegranate (cv. Bhagwa) in Arid Zone of Andhra Pradesh

Integrated Nutrient Management (INM) demonstrations on pomegranate were conducted in 20 farmer fields in Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Kalyandurg-operated mandals of Ananthapur district in Andhra Pradesh state during 2022-23 and 2023-24. The aim was to demonstrate the influence of INM practice on enhancing yield attributing features, yield and economics in farmer fields. According to the data, INM practice resulted in a larger number of flowers/plants, fruits/plant, fruit setting percentage, average fruit weight and yield/plant than farmer’s practice, who used chemical nutrient management alone. The demonstration of INM practice resulted in 11.56% and 10.52% higher fruit output than farmers' practices in 2022-23 and 2023-24, respectively. The enhanced yield in INM practice can be attributed to more fruits per plant and heavier fruit weight. INM approaches also provided a greater economic advantage, and their adoption resulted in a better benefit-cost ratio (5.87) than farmers' use of inorganic nutrient management (5.40). From the findings It can be concluded that, under current circumstances, adopting INM practices in pomegranate cultivation could result in a higher economic benefit than farmers' practices, encouraging more farmers to adopt INM practices not only in pomegranate but also in other major fruit crops in Ananthapur district of Andhra Pradesh.

Correlation Studies on Growth, Yield Parameters and Yield of Maize as Influenced by Conservation Tillage Practices and Site-Specific Nutrient Management in Maize (Zea mays L.)

To meet the ever increasing needs of the growing human population ensuring sustainable use of natural resources, maintaining the standards essential for competing in the global market especially in case of major cereals like rice, wheat and maize is a never ending challenge. Keeping this in mind, to increase the productivity of maize by resource conservation techniques with different nutrient management practices, an experiment was laid out at a farmer’s field of Chella, Kamarapara, West Bengal, during pre-kharif season of 2022. The treatments consisted of 2 levels of tillage practices and 7 levels of SSNM treatments. The experimental finding revealed no significant difference between grain and stover yield with different tillage treatments. Whereas significantly higher grain and stover yield `was seen with SSNM through NE, lower grain and stover yield was recorded with control. Correlation studies revealed that plant height, dry matter accumulation, crop growth rate, cob girth, cob length, number of grain rows per cob, and number of cobs were highly significant and positively correlated with grain yield.

Tillage and nutrient-management practices for improving productivity and soil physico-chemical properties in maize (Zea mays)–wheat (Triticum aestivum) cropping system under rainfed conditions in Kandi region of Punjab

Tillage and nutrient-management practices for improving productivity and soil physico-chemical properties in maize (Zea mays)–wheat (Triticum aestivum) cropping system under rainfed conditions in Kandi region of Punjab

Delineation of Soil Fertility Status and KVK Intervention to Improve the Productivity of Pepper in TSP Villages of Namakkal District under Soil Health Card Mission

Soil is the most important resource needed for agriculture production. The unbalanced fertilizer application associated with more production by high yield varieties affects the soil quality vulnerably. Soils of tribal areas, having multi nutrient deficiencies due to intense cropping especially spices Pepper, coffee, cardamom and banana. Balanced application of plant nutrients is thus the only option to increase soil productivity for maintaining/enhancing the overall soil productivity. Delineation of soil nutrient status is an important practice to plan the nutrient scheduling for pepper crop. Hence 100 soil samples were collected from five adopted villages and tested its properties. Based on the analytical results, soil health cards issued along with fertilizer recommendation. Then 50 farmers were selected, trained all scientific package of practices through trainings. The field experiment was conducted in 50 farmer’s field in an area of 20 ha. Pepper variety Panniyur 1 was the test crop. Application of soil test based integrated nutrient management practice increased the yield attributes and yield of pepper. An average of Rs. 74,220/ha net profit could be obtained by adopting all scientific package of practices in the farm holdings.

Response of nutrient management practices on carbon mineralization in relation to changed soil biology under rice-wheat cropping in north-western India

Response of nutrient management practices on carbon mineralization in relation to changed soil biology under rice-wheat cropping in north-western India

Impact of Combining Microbial Enriched Organic Manures with Inorganic Nutrients on Physiological Characteristics and Productivity of Pearl Millet (Pennisetum glaucum L.)

The present investigation was undertaken to validate the integrated use of inorganic fertilizers and biofertilizers inoculated in organic manures on the physiological attributes and of pearl millet in the School of Agricultural Science, Karunya Institute of Technology and Sciences, Coimbatore, India. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Block Design (RBD) with three replications, during the rabi season of 2023-24. Results outlined that the integrated nutrient management practice of applying Azospirillum & PSB enriched vermicompost @ 6 t ha-1 + 100% Recommended dose of N, P2O5 & K2O has significantly increased the physiological attributes (leaf area index, crop growth rate, chlorophyll index), and yield (grain yield and stover yield) of pearl millet. This was statistically on par with the treatment Azospirillum & PSB enriched FYM @12.5 t ha-1 + 100% RDF dose of N, P2O5 & K2O.

Heavy metals in soil, finger millet and weeds due to nutrient management practices under a 43-year-old long term fertilizer experiment

Chemical fertilizers contain traces of heavy metals and long-term use of fertilizers in agriculture could lead to the accumulation of heavy metals in the soil. Specific amounts of fertilizers and manure have been consistently applied for the past 43 years. Soil and plant samples were collected and quantified for heavy metals. The results revealed that the application of FYM and inorganic fertilizers led to a higher concentration of heavy metals in surface soil and decreased with soil depth. The application of 100% RDF resulted in higher concentrations of metals in samples of finger millet and all the heavy metals were below toxic limits. The PLI of heavy metals was found to have a value <10, indicating that soils are less polluted. Cd and Pb had BCF values of <1 for grain and straw, which indicates a lower concentration of metals in soil than those taken up by plants, while >1 for As and Cr indicates a higher uptake in grain and straw than in soil.

Mechanisms driving fruit cracking in ‘Sinhwa’ pears (Pyrus pyrifolia Nakai) and effect of foliar fertilizer application on fruit quality

Fruit cracking poses a significant challenge to ‘Sinhwa’ pear cultivation and has potential economic repercussions for growers due to its adverse effects on yield and fruit quality. This study delves into the phenomenon of fruit cracking in ‘Sinhwa’ pears by conducting a comprehensive analysis of its causes and exploring the efficacy of foliar fertilization as a mitigation strategy. To reveal the conditions contributing to fruit cracking in ‘Sinhwa’ pears, moisture change regimes were systematically applied to 5-year-old ‘Sinhwa' trees from 2018 to 2020 during post-flowering and harvest periods. Alternating wet and dry conditions resulted in the highest fruit cracking rates, thus highlighting the importance of consistent soil moisture levels for mitigating cracking. Furthermore, the timing of fruit cracking and its histological characteristics in ‘Sinhwa’ pears were examined to understand the underlying causes. Microcracks appeared approximately 60 days after full bloom and preceded visible cracking, although notable changes in epidermis thickness and stone cell layer distribution were observed. Analysis of the nutrient content revealed differences in calcium and potassium levels between intact and cracked fruits, thus providing insights into potential nutritional influences on fruit quality. Potential mitigation strategies included foliar application of 0.3 % calcium chloride and 0.5 % potassium nitrate, and they demonstrated promising results in reducing fruit cracking rates compared to the control. Fruit characteristics, including mass and hardness, varied among the treatment groups, with treated trees showing notable increases in calcium content, which were correlated with decreases in fruit cracking incidence. To understand the molecular mechanisms underlying the effectiveness of foliar fertilization, gene expression levels associated with fruit cracking were analyzed by real-time PCR. Higher expression of heat-related expansion genes (Exp1 and Exp2) was observed in the treated fruits, particularly those in the calcium chloride and potassium nitrate treatments, suggesting the role of these elements in mitigating fruit cracking. This study provides valuable insights into the causes of fruit cracking in ‘Sinhwa’ pears and offers practical mitigation strategies, such as foliar fertilization. Moreover, the findings underscore the importance of maintaining consistent soil moisture levels and optimizing nutrient management practices to enhance fruit quality and minimize economic losses in ‘Sinwha’ pear cultivation.

Study of Physiological Growth Indices and Yield of Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) to Soil and Foliar Application Through Integrated Nutrient Management Practices

An investigation was conducted in Rabi season of 2023-24 at the instructional farm of Karunya Institute of Technology and Sciences, Coimbatore, to evaluate the performance of physiological indices on chickpeas under soil and foliar application. The experiment was established on a Factorial Randomized Block Design (FRBD). The treatments were soil application of NPK 100 percent (A1), NPK 100 percent + FYM 10 t ha-1 (A2), NPK 100 percent + Vermicompost 5 t ha-1 (A3), NPK 75 percent + FYM 10 t ha-1 (A4) and NPK 75 percent + Vermicompost 5 t ha-1 (A5) combined with foliar applications, viz., Nano-DAP (B1) and Nano-Urea (B2). The results of the study revealed that morpho-physiological attributes of chickpeas were statistically increased by the application of soil (NPK 75 percent + Vermicompost 5 t ha-1) combined with foliar (Nano-urea) nutrient management practices resulting in maximum grain yield of 15.64 q ha-1 and stover yield of 30.49 q ha-1. The results of this study underscore the importance of integrated nutrient management practices involving soil and foliar applications in enhancing the physiological indices of chickpeas.

Comparative Performance of Different Fertilizer Recommendation Methods on Growth and Yield of Rice (Oryza sativa) in Old Brahmaputra Floodplain Soils

Improving rice productivity is the challenge for the farmer due to rapid soil health deterioration in intensive agricultural system. Therefore, the present study was conducted to evaluate comparative performance of different nutrient management practices in rice production in Bangladesh. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design with three replications. There were six treatments namely, T1 (Control-no fertilizer), T2 (Farmer’s Practice), T3 (Fertilizer Recommendation Guide-2018), T4 (BAU Soil Testing Kit), T5 (Soil Test Basis) and T6 (Rice Crop Manager). The results revealed that all the treatments showed better performances over control (T1). Treatment T4 (BAU Soil Testing Kit) produced the highest value of plant height (90.18 cm), panicle length (24.90), filled grains panicle-1 (122.60) and 1000-grain weight (26.67g) while T5 (Soil Test Basis) produced maximum effective tillers hill-1 (12.80). The highest grain yield (6.29 t ha-1) and straw yield (7.73 t ha-1) were recorded in treatment T4 (BAU Soil Testing Kit). Treatment T4 (BAU Soil Testing Kit) also showed the highest grain yield increase (61.49%) and straw yield increase (90.49%) over control. The highest total N, P and K uptake (108.84 kg ha-1, 24.54 kg ha-1 and 128.17 kg ha-1) were obtained in the treatment T4 (BAU Soil Testing Kit). Control treatment T1 (No fertilizers) showed minimum performances in all the cases compared to other treatments. The overall result demonstrated that the application of fertilizers following BAU Soil Testing Kit method of fertilizer application system is a better option for rice production.

Energy Budgeting and Efficiency Analysis of Organic Cotton: A DEA Approach

Background: Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) is crop of economic importance in global and national scale. India is the greatest producer of quality cotton, the third largest exporter and the second largest consumer. Conventional cotton farming creates environmental pressures and negative impact on public health. Organic farming is the sustainability option in cotton production. Cotton is the energy intensive crop, which uses high amount of input energy to produce seed cotton. Hence, energy budgeting is highly essential for better energy utilization and resource conservation and also measuring the input use efficiency of a farm/agronomic practices is vitally important in present day Indian agriculture. Methods: Sensing the economic importance of cotton, ten number of eco-friendly, ecologically safe organic nutrient management (ONM) practices were framed and field experiment was conducted in split plot design with two main plots (M) and five subplots (S) and replicated thrice. The direct and indirect energy used in different ONM practices were computed and energy coefficients were computed from energy equivalents and that has been used as inputs to generate efficiency coefficients by using an input oriented DEA approach. Result: Energy budgeting on field operation basis reported that, the field preparation and irrigation operation uses most of the energy (in non-renewable forms) which needs attention and there is the scope to find alternative energy conservation systems. Results on input use efficiency reported that the ONM practice, double green manuring followed by cotton and application of well decomposed poultry manure and foliar application of fermented fish extract at 5% concentration at 25 and 35 DAS are 100% efficient in terms of technical CRS, technical VRS, scale, allocative and cost efficiencies. This organic nutrient management practice would produce optimum output from the least amount of input and would be ideal for sustainable cotton production.

Rapid and cost‐effective assessment of nutrients in pistachio (Pistacia vera L.) leaves through Fourier transform near‐infrared spectroscopy (FT‐NIRS)

AbstractBackgroundPistachio nuts provide many health benefits in human diet. Nutrient levels in plant leaves and fertilizer schedules are determined based on traditional soil and leaf chemical analyses. However, these methods require additional labor, time, and cost, which is why most farmers do not prefer them and cannot detect nutrient deficiencies in time. Fast, easy‐to‐use and low‐cost nutrient level assessment techniques are needed.AimThis study aims to explore the viability of near‐infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) as a fast, user friendly, and cost effective technique for evluating the major macro‐ and micronutrient contents of dried and ground pistachio leaf sample.MethodsThe feasibility of NIRS for estimating nutrient contents was investigated by analyzing samples from 200 pistachio trees. Dried and ground pistachio leaves were subjected to NIRS analysis. PLSR (Partial least square regression) analyses were performed to develop nutrient content prediction models using spectral information of samples.ResultsIt was found that the NIRS system had a very good potential to estimate the K, Ca, Cu, and Mg contents of the leaf samples (R2 > 0.80). It was also found that Fe and Mn concentrations could also be estimated with good accuracy (R2 = 0.70–0.80). However, the NIRS system did not give good results for the prediction of N, P, and Zn (R2 < 0.40).ConclusionIn conclusion, the NIRS system can be used to quickly, easily, and economically assess the K, Ca, Cu, Mg, Fe, and Mn contents of dried and ground pistachio leaves. This technique has the potential to improve nutrient management practices in pistachio farming within a sustainable and environmentally conscious framework. Fourier transform NIRS (FT‐NIRS) can provide valuable insights by complementing rather than replacing traditional chemical analysis. Laboratory analysis is still required for definitive nutrient content information, but FT‐NIRS can significantly reduce the reliance on such analysis, thereby mitigating the environmental impact caused by the excessive use of chemical fertilizers and minimizing the health risks to laboratory staff. In addition, the rapid information‐gathering capabilities of the FT‐NIRS can be emphasized.

Digital technology in maize nutrient management research in northern Nigeria amid COVID-19 pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has been a life threatening and spreads wildly with physical human contact. Physical distancing is recommended by health experts to prevent the spread; thus, agronomic research has to be designed in conformity to this preventive standard during the pandemic. Consequently, this study was designed to evaluate the reliability of using digital tools in nutrient management research amid the COVID-19 pandemic in northern Nigeria. Fifty extension agents (EAs) were selected across 15 LGAs of Kaduna and Kano states. The EAs were trained on how to generate fertilizer recommendation using an android mobile phone-based nutrient expert (NE), to measure farmers’ field sizes using UTM Area measure mobile phone app, and open data kit to record, submit and aggregate data during the exercise. Each EA covered 50 farms, where two nutrient management practices—one determined by the farmers: farmer fertilizer practice (FFP), and the other generated using the NE were evaluated. Results show that around 90% of the farmers have an average field size of 1.13 ha. All selected farmers used improved maize varieties for planting, among which 21% been able to use the exact recommended or lower seed rate. Use of inorganic fertilizer was 33% higher than the average recommended NE rate, while average yield of the NE fields was 48% higher than for the FFP. The results of this study indicate that yield can be improved with site-specific nutrient management (SSNM) extension approach. The SSNM using digital tools as the NE seem promising and befits to agronomic research in northern Nigeria amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Effect of Integrated Nutrient Management on Growth, Yield and Quality of Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.)

A field experiment was conducted at Instructional farm, DCAAS College Rampur, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, during the Rabi season of 2022-2023 to evaluate the performance of potato under different integrated nutrient management (INM) options. The experiment was placed in randomised block design (RBD) with five nutrient management options. Various parameters related to plant growth, tuber formation, and tuber weight and yield were examined across different treatment conditions. The results revealed that T5 (Vermicompost + Urea + FYM + Neemcake), representing an integrated nutrient management approach, consistently exhibited the highest plant weight (23.633cm) at different growth stages (30 DAS, 60 DAS, 90 DAS), indicating a positive effect on plant growth. Additionally, T3 (Urea) displayed superior performance regarding the number of tubers in different weight categories (0-25g, 25-50g, 50-75g, and 75g), suggesting enhanced tuber formation. However, the most significant outcome was the consistent superiority of T5 in terms of tuber weight and yield. T5 consistently produced the highest weight of tubers in all weight categories and achieved the highest tuber yield per plot (9.243q h-1). These findings underscore the positive impact of integrated nutrient management practices on tuber weight and overall crop productivity in potatoes. It is important to note that specific details regarding the nutrient management practices used were not provided, necessitating further research to identify the particular combination and types of nutrients employed in T5. Overall, this study emphasizes the importance of implementing integrated nutrient management strategies to enhance the growth and yield of potato crops, encouraging further investigation into the optimization of plant growth and tuber yield through nutrient management practices.