Articles

Nutrient Budgeting: An Enigma

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Nutrient budgeting seeks to quantify nutrient flows, evaluate the efficiency of current nutrient management practices, and provide recommendations to enhance sustainability and productivity. While fertilizer use is increasing, it’s often imbalanced, with a greater emphasis on nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) than potassium (K). The recommended NPK ratio (6.96:2.79:1 in 2019-20) differs significantly from the average crop uptake ratio (1.0:0.3:1.3). In the year 2000-2001, inorganic fertilizer was the dominant source contributing 64% of N and 78% of P inputs in Indian agriculture, whereas K input through inorganic fertilizer was 26%. The intrinsic complexity and diversity of nutrient dynamics across spatial and temporal dimensions, however, continue to make it an enigma. Numerous factors contribute to the difficulties in nutrient budgeting, such as uneven measuring techniques, variations in crop and soil properties, shifting weather patterns, and a lack of reliable field data. Furthermore, assumptions and models used to estimate nutrient flows—such as biological nitrogen fixation, leaching, gaseous losses, and crop uptake—frequently fail to account for site-specific reality. This complexity is further increased by human elements like inconsistent record-keeping and a variety of management techniques. However, by integrating field data, existing models, and literature-based nutrient coefficients, the studies in this field contributes to a deeper understanding of nutrient use efficiency and the potential for improving soil fertility management.

Integrated Nutrient Management in Bottle gourd [Lagenaria siceraria (Mol) Standl.] variety Kashi Ganga under Malwa condition of Madhya Pradesh

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The present experiment “Integrated Nutrient Management in Bottle gourd [Lagenaria siceraria (Mol) Standl.] variety Kashi Ganga under Malwa condition of Madhya Pradesh” was carried out during Kharif season of 2019 -2020 at the Horticulture Experimental Field, College of Agriculture, RVSKVV, Indore (M.P.). The objective of the trial is to study efficacy of soil amendment on growth, yield and quality traits. The experiment consist of 15 treatments and three replication under randomized block design. The treatment T10 (50% NPK+25% Vermicompost +25% Compost) was found significantly superior as compared to other of treatments in following characters like vine length(cm), length of internode /vine (cm), no of primary branches. Treatment T0 (No application of INM control) observed minimum as compares to other of treatments. The treatment T10 (50%NPK+25%Vermicompost+25%Compost) was found significantly good result in phenological characters like no of node /vine up to first male and female flowers, days to first appearance of male and female flower, Treatment T0 ( No application of INM control) observed minimum as compares to other of treatments. The results regarding the yield parameters like days to first picking , avg. fruit weight at every picking (g) ,fruit length (cm) , fruit diameter (cm) , fruit yield /plot (kg), fruit yield (q/ha) number of seeds per pod, pod yield per plant(g) and pod yield (q/ha) were significantly affected by the application of different combination of integrated nutrient management. The maximum result was noted in treatment T10 (50% NPK + 25% Vermicompost + 25% Compost) However, minimum result was noted in T0 (No application of INM control).