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

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.

Assessment of coherent impacts of selenium and urea on the growth and physiological attributes of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

“…Their experimental results demonstrated that the combination of foliar applications of selenium and urea considerably increased all physiological parameters. Also [17] observed the similar foliar effects on the growth and physiochemical parameters in which selenium produced considerably positive impacts on the growth and physiology of plants. The conclusion of [18] about the foliar applications of selenium on brassica plants based on yield and productivity are also supporting the current findings under same environmental circumstances.…”

Spring wheat yield and grain quality response to nitrogen rate

“…The lack of yield response to applied N at higher N fertilizer rates is well documented. Even in production areas without a long-standing record of excessive N fertilization (and thus, relatively low residual soil N), such as Nepal, Rawal et al (2022) reported that wheat grain yield was statistically the same for medium (125 kg ha -1 ) and high (150 kg N ha −1 ) N rates.…”

Recent trends in nitrogen cycle and eco-efficient nitrogen management strategies in aerobic rice system

“…Management practices that focus on improving plant N uptake and NUE involve irrigation methods, fertilizer input management, crop variety management in terms of water and NUE, plant N uptake management, use of controlled-release N fertilizers, use of NIs and urease inhibitors for synthetic N fertilizers, and other agronomic integrative crop management approaches ( Pan et al, 2017 ; Gweyi-Onyango et al, 2021 ; Williams et al, 2021 ; Ebbisa, 2022 ; Ma X. et al, 2022 ). Several studies regarding NUE have demonstrated that it is majorly associated with the type and method of fertilizer inputs, irrigation methods, availability of soil N, and plant N uptake ( Ye et al, 2013 ; Rawal et al, 2022 ). In modern agriculture, coupled management approach of irrigation and N management is an eco-efficient and widespread adopted technique, which can sustain rice yield under scarce water resources while ensuring environmental sustainability.…”