Efficient nitrogen management in wheat through a combination of conventional and nano urea with optimized methods and timing

• Published in: Journal of plant nutrition 2024-06, Vol.47 (10), p.1630-1649
• Main Authors: Kumar, Nitesh, Tripathi, S. C., Yadav, D. B., Samota, Shiv Ram, Venkatesh, Karnam, Sareen, Sindhu
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Agricultural production; Cereal crops; Crop production; Crop yield; Cropping systems; Economics; Farm buildings; Grain; Greenhouse gases; Groundwater; Groundwater levels; Herbicides; Irrigation; nano urea; Nitrogen; Productivity; Profitability; Rice; Sustainable production; timing and methods; Urea; Ureas; Wheat
• ISSN: 0190-4167; 1532-4087
• DOI: 10.1080/01904167.2024.2316006

The rice-wheat cropping system is the largest cereal-based agricultural production system in India. It provides considerable significance to national food, nutrition, and livelihood security. However, the extensive use of resources under rice-wheat system has resulted in significant issues, including a decline in groundwater levels, indiscriminate use of fertilizers, the burning of rice residues, increased emissions of greenhouse gases, and the development of herbicide-resistant weeds which led to stagnant crop productivity and reduced profitability. This study was conducted at the research farm of ICAR-IIWBR, Karnal, India, to evaluate the combined effects of conventional and nano urea on productivity, profitability, and efficient nitrogen management strategy in wheat under rice-wheat system. The study evaluated eight treatment combinations of nitrogen application through conventionally applied urea (46% N) and foliar applied nano urea (4% N). The results of the study showed that the application of 150 kg N/ha in three equal splits as basal and just before 1 st and 2 nd irrigation, either alone (T 2 ) or along with a spray of nano urea (T 5 ), resulted in the highest grain yield and profitability. Top dressing of urea just before irrigation with a dose of nitrogen 150 kg/ha applied in three equal splits (T 2 ) resulted in 420 kg/ha additional grain yield over top dressing at 7-10 days after irrigation with same dose (T 3 ). Treatment T5 recorded the highest gross and net returns with 2492.5 and 1804.0 US $/ha. The study's findings suggest that efficient nitrogen management is essential for sustainable wheat production in India. The application of 150 kg N/ha in three equal splits, either alone or along with a spray of nano urea, is a promising strategy for improving wheat productivity and profitability in India.