Yield, nitrogen-use efficiency, and distribution of nitrate-nitrogen in the soil profile as influenced by irrigation and fertilizer nitrogen levels under zero-till wheat in the eastern Indo-Gangetic plains of India
Year: 2022
Type: article
Abstract: Due to the introduction of zero-till wheat in the Indo-Gangetic plains (IGP) in India, irrigation and fertilizer nitrogen (N) management needs to be modified from that followed under conventionally tilled fields. A field experiment was conducted to study the effect of irrigation and N levels on yield and N uptake by zero-till wheat, fertilizer N-use efficiency, and distribution of nitrate-N (NO3-N) in a soil profile under zero-till conditions in an acidic alluvial soil of the eastern IGP. The experiment was laid out in a split-plot design with four levels of irrigation as main plots (I0-no irrigation, rain-fed, I1-122 mm in one irrigation at 21 days after sowing (DAS), I2-263 mm in two irrigations at 21 and 42 DAS, and I3-386 mm in three irrigations at 21, 42, and 84 DAS) and 4 N levels [0 (N0), 60 (N1), 120 (N2), and 150 (N3) kg N ha−1] as subplots. Grain and straw yields were significantly higher at the irrigation level-I2 and 120 kg N ha−1-N2 over the control (I0 and N0) and were at par with the highest applied levels of irrigation and N (I3 and N3). The nitrogen uptake by wheat followed a trend similar to yield for irrigation levels; however, it increased significantly up to 150 kg N ha−1. After the harvest of wheat crop, more NO3-N was observed in the 60–90 cm subsurface soil layer than in the surface 0–15 cm and/or 15–30 cm and 30–60 cm subsurface soil layers. The highest NO3-N concentration was recorded in the treatment I2N2. Accumulation of NO3-N in the soil increased up to irrigation levels I2 and with increasing doses of fertilizer N application. Combined applications of irrigation and N had a positive and significant influence on agronomic efficiency (AE) and apparent N recovery (ANR) but had no significant effect on physiological efficiency (PE). This study suggests that an appropriate combination of irrigation and N levels in zero-till wheat can lead to not only high-yield levels and N-use efficiency but also adequately control NO3-N leaching under acidic alluvial soils in the eastern IGP.
Authors: Samaresh Sahoo, P. Mukhopadhyay, A. K. Sinha, P. M. Bhattacharya, S. Rakesh, Rajkishore Kumar, Rajeev Padbhushan, Bijay-Singh, Brajendra Parmar, Anand Vishwakarma, Amarendra Kumar, Brahamdeo Kumar Yadav, Shanti Bhushan, Atul Kumar, Megha Kaviraj, Upendra Kumar
Institutions: North Bengal Agricultural University, Seacom Skills University, National Academy of Agricultural Research Management, Indian Council of Agricultural Research, Bihar Agricultural University, Punjab Agricultural University, Indian Institute of Rice Research, Indian Institute of Soil Science, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, Veer Kunwar Singh University, Central Rice Research Institute
Language: English
Subfield: Soil Science
Domain: Life Sciences
SDG: Zero hunger
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,490
OpenAlex ID: W4293175898