Present irrational crop and nutrient management practices have raised several concerns of high merit. The concerns include low factor productivity or nutrient use efficiency (NUE), declining crop productivity, farmer’s profitability, impaired soil health and ecological contamination. Site-specific nutrient management (SSNM), after considering indigenous nutrient supplying capacity of soil using plant and soil analysis, can feed the crop in synchrony with its nutrient requirement in different physiological growth stages. Besides, several modern geospatial techniques viz. remote sensing techniques, geographic information system (GIS), global positioning system (GPS), proximal sensing; information and communication technologies (ICTs) including decision support system, smartphone apps and web services can also assist in diagnosis of soil and crop nutrient status, fertilizer recommendation and its dissemination to users. Optical and thermal remote sensing can effectively detect crop stress including nitrogen (N) deficiency through several vegetation indices especially normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI). GIS techniques with spatial data acquired by GPS, can create spatial variability map and management zone (MZ) for precise farm operations including variable rate fertilization. Proximal crop sensors viz. chlorophyll meter and Green Seeker can also recognize crop nitrogen status and promote fertilizer N use efficiency by synchronizing fertilizer N supply with crop requirement. Even proximal soil sensing using electromagnetic radiation and contact electrode can estimate soil properties like soil pH, electrical conductivity, major and micronutrient content. Several decision support systems such as QUEFTS based model, crop manager, nutrient expert® and smartphone apps like ‘crop doctor’ can suggest for precise application of agro-inputs to rural youths and farmers. Yield monitoring and mapping tool can generate historical GIS database for spatial variability of crop yield under farmers’ crop management practices and assessment of nutrient uptake. Variable rate machinery based on variability map and sensor technologies can also be used for fertilization under different management zones. Therefore, SSNM technologies can enhance NUE; improve and sustain crop productivity, profitability; avoid nutrient wastage; maintain good soil health and environmental safety.

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Background: Field experiment was conducted under In-house Project of the University during kharif seasons of 2015 and 2017 for evaluation of clusterbean varieties for Koshi Region of Bihar. Methods: The experiment was conducted by using randomized complete block design with three replications. Observations were recorded on different agronomic parameters including, plant height, dry matter accumulation, days to maturity, number of pods per plant, number of grains per pod, test weight, grain yield, biological yield and harvest index. Economics of crop was also calculated to find out the economic feasibility for the farmers. Result: Result revealed that the significantly taller plants along with higher dry matter accumulation was observed under clusterbean variety Bundel Guar-2 (BG-2). Clusterbean variety Gujarat Guar-2 (GG-2) taken least number of days to maturity, however, highest number of days to maturity was taken by RGC-986 and BG-1. Significantly higher number of pods per plant was observed under RGC-1033. HG-365 resulted into significantly higher number of grains per pod and BG-1 recorded significantly higher test weight. RGC-1033 proved significantly better in terms of grain yield, harvest index and net returns. In terms of stover and biological yield BG-2 proved significantly superior.