Aug 2026· Ecology, environment & conservation· Vol 32, pp. S170-S178· 0 citations
Abstract
A significant issue in the wheat production systems is the need to increase the efficiency of nutrient use without compromising soil health. This paper has examined the synergistic impact of organic manures, Nano-DAP on growth, yield and soil fertility of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) under field conditions during the Rabi seasons of 2023-24 and 2024-25 in Lucknow, India. The treatments were: green manure, farmyard manure and vermicomposting (5 t ha-1), with various nutrient management strategies based on Nano-DAP. The findings indicated that vermicompost was highly beneficial in promoting crop growth, with the highest values in terms of plant height, density and biomass growth. Nano-DAP seed treatment and foliar sprays, combined with 100% NPK, created the greatest grain yield (49.64 q ha-1) and better yield characteristics than traditional fertilization. It was also seen that the combined application enhanced the uptake of nutrients and the soil fertility status.In general, the results imply that the combination of organic Manures and NanoDAP is an efficient and sustainable approach to nutrient management to achieve better wheat yields and better soil health.
The increasing need for food, which results from fast population growth, requires agricultural methods that can produce more crops while protecting soil health. Biochar has become an effective soil enhancer that boosts soil fertility and nutrient retention while increasing crop productivity.
The study examined the effects of nutrient management with biochar on the growth performance of direct-seeded rice in the Bagamoyo irrigation project during the cropping period of 2025. The split-plot design was used with three replicates and a split-plot ANOVA and linear mixed effect models to assess the integration of biochar and NPK from maize straw in three rice varieties (TXD 306, TANRICE 1, and KHAODUCKMALL) under multi-season conditions, with a p<0.05 mean separation and a Tukey HSD.
The study results demonstrate that biochar application constituted the only element that produced a statistically significant impact on crop height at harvest level measurement (p = 0.0135), while all other factors, including variety and their interactions, showed no significant impact. The two most important factors for sample discrimination were Fe and Zn, while TN and K followed behind. The PCA results showed that PC1 explained most of the variation through its strong links to Fe and Zn and TN, while PC2 showed primary connections to P and K and Mn. The biplot showed three distinct clusters, which scientists identified with 95 confidence with confidence ellipses. The 50% biochar plus 50% NPK treatment outperformed the control and sole fertilizer treatments because it produced taller plants, although the varieties showed minor differences in their plant response.
The study results show that biochar combined with mineral fertilizer produced greater tiller manure yields when compared to the control treatment. The results demonstrate that combining biochar with inorganic fertilizers enhances rice growth and productivity in drought-prone direct-seeding conditions while also improving soil fertility management.
H. P. Mbelle, Shilpa Manhas, A. Meya et al.· Frontiers in Plant Science· 0 citations
Declining soil fertility is a major constraint to sustainable crop production in sub-Saharan Africa, and sole reliance on inorganic fertilizers raises concerns about long-term soil health. This study evaluated the effects of maize cob biochar and NPK fertilizer, applied individually and in combination, on soil properties, growth, and yield of maize (
Zea mays
L.) in Akure, Nigeria. The experiment was conducted using a randomized complete block design with three replicates. Treatments included control, biochar (1.5 and 3.0 t/ha), NPK fertilizer (100 and 200 kg/ha), and a combined application of 1.5 t/ha biochar with 100 kg/ha fertilizer. Growth parameters measured included plant height, leaf area index, internode length, and stem girth, while yield indices and post-harvest soil chemical properties were also assessed. Results showed that all treatments significantly improved maize performance compared to the control. Biochar alone produced the highest growth values and yield components, including cob weight (375.12 g), number of seeds per cob (707.80), and seed weight per cob (203.53 g), compared to the control (161.50 g, 104.73, and 37.49 g, respectively). The combined treatment also recorded high values (313.52 g, 670.50, and 169.94 g). Biochar improved soil properties, increasing organic carbon (0.89%) and organic matter (1.52%) relative to the control (0.69% and 0.19%), while fertilizer enhanced available phosphorus (5.39 cmol/kg). The study concludes that integrating maize cob biochar with inorganic fertilizer is an effective and sustainable strategy for improving soil fertility and maize productivity.
O. Nwafor, A. Johnson, Akinbuwa Olumakinde et al.· Advances in Bioscience and B...· 0 citations
Background: A field study was conducted to evaluate integrated nutrient management practices involving organic, inorganic, microbial and nano-fertilizer approaches for improving growth, yield, phosphorus uptake, economics and soil biological properties of mung bean varieties. Methods: Two mung bean varieties, Pusa-1431 and Virat, were tested under six nutrient management treatments in a factorial randomized block design during the Kharif season. Observations on growth, yield, phosphorus uptake, economics and soil biological activity were analyzed using ANOVA. Result: Pusa-1431 performed better than Virat in growth, yield, phosphorus uptake and soil biological activity. The treatment comprising 75% NPK + FYM @ 5 t ha-1 + NPK consortia + Nano-P spray at 25 DAS produced the highest grain yield (12.4 q ha-1), benefit:cost ratio (2.35), phosphorus uptake and soil microbial activity, indicating that integrated nutrient management enhanced productivity, nutrient-use efficiency and soil health compared to sole chemical fertilization.
Balveer Singh, Rohit Kumar, A. Singh et al.· Legume Research An Internati...· 0 citations
Fertilization is one of the key factors in improving the growth and productivity of maize, particularly under conditions of low soil fertility. The use of inorganic fertilizers alone often does not provide optimal results without the support of organic amendments that improve soil conditions. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of different combinations of N, P, K fertilization and manure application on the growth and biomass of maize. The experiment was conducted using a randomized block design with several treatment combinations, including single fertilizers, combinations of inorganic fertilizers, manure, and the combination of manure and NPK. Observed parameters included vegetative growth and plant biomass. The results showed that fertilization treatments produced different responses between growth and biomass parameters. Early vegetative growth exhibited relatively uniform responses, while biomass showed a more distinct response to the treatments. Manure application, particularly when combined with NPK, resulted in the best performance in improving plant. The combination of organic and inorganic fertilizers enhances nutrient use efficiency and improves soil conditions, thereby supporting optimal plant growth. An integrated fertilization approach can be an effective strategy to improve maize productivity in a sustainable manner.
Risna Rusdan, M. Adrian, Bunga Permata Mentari et al.· BIO Web of Conferences· 0 citations
Wheat productivity is constrained by declining soil fertility and low nutrient-use efficiency resulting from the continuous dependence on chemical fertilizers. Integrated Nutrient Management, through the judicious integration of organic, inorganic, and biological nutrient sources, offers a sustainable approach to enhance crop growth, yield, soil health, and long-term productivity; however, its effectiveness in combination with nano-fertilizers requires further evaluation. Therefore, a field experiment was planned during the Rabi season of 2024-25 and 2025-26, at the research farm of Maharishi Markandeshwar (Deemed to be University), Mullana. The experiment was laid out in a two-factorial randomized block design with three replications. Factor A comprised two wheat varieties (WH 1270 and DBW 222), while Factor B consisted of eight nutrient management treatments involving RDF, vermicompost (2 t/ha), foliar nano urea (1250 mL/ha), foliar nano DAP (1250 mL/ha), and Azotobacter applied alone or in combination. The pooled data revealed that the variety DBW 222 showed significantly higher plant height (94.34 cm), number of tillers/meter row length (65.77), DMA/meter row length (224.82 g), LAI (5.56), spike length (9.84 cm), grains/spikes (48.31), effective tillers/m2 (300.80), test weight (40.27 g), grain yield (5042 kg/ha) and straw yield (6651 kg/ha) over variety WH 1270. Among various nutrient combinations, maximum plant height (104.65 cm), number of tillers/meter row length (70.51), DMA/meter row length (251.73 g), LAI (6.18), spike length (10.88 cm), grains/spikes (51.37), effective tillers/m2 (322.57), test weight (42.21 g), grain yield (5642 kg/ha) and straw yield (7439 kg/ha) was recorded with treatment T3 (100% RDF with vermicompost @ 2t/ha) which was found at par with T5 and T4. These treatments were found superior over T2, T6, T8 and T7. The least were found in T1
Sanjeev Kumar, I.S. Singh· Research on Crops· 0 citations
Global demand for alfalfa, a vital forage resource for ruminants, is growing. Currently, ruminant production is expanding rapidly in parts of Asia and Africa, further driving demand for high-quality alfalfa forage. Nevertheless, long-term indiscriminate fertilization and imbalanced nutrient input ratios in alfalfa production not only lower fertilizer use efficiency and crop productivity but also induce a range of soil degradation and environmental issues, thereby constraining the sustainable development of the forage-livestock industry. In this study, the alfalfa cultivar ‘Xinmu No. 4’ (Medicago sativa cv. ‘Xinmu No. 4’) was used as the experimental material. A two-year field block experiment was performed to investigate the effects of different organic–inorganic fertilizer ratios on the nutrient use efficiency of alfalfa, with six fertilization treatments: CM0 (100% cow manure), CM1 (75% cow manure + 25% chemical fertilizer), CM2 (50% cow manure + 50% chemical fertilizer), CM3 (25% cow manure + 75% chemical fertilizer), CM4 (100% chemical fertilizer), and CK (no fertilization application). The results demonstrated that the CM3 treatment (25% cow manure combined with 75% chemical fertilizer) significantly enhanced nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium accumulation in alfalfa relative to the CK, sole cow manure (CM0), and sole chemical fertilizer (CM4) treatments (p < 0.05). Additionally, plant nutrient accumulation in 2025 was markedly higher than that in 2024 across treatments (p < 0.05). Combined organic and inorganic fertilization substantially improved the agronomic use efficiency of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium in alfalfa, with the CM3 ratio exhibiting the most pronounced beneficial effect. For alfalfa cultivation in Xinjiang, the combined application of 25% cow manure and 75% chemical fertilizer is recommended to optimize nutrient accumulation and utilization efficiency, ultimately boosting alfalfa yield and quality.
Lan Wang, Qi Wang, Xue-Rong Ma et al.· Plants· 0 citations
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