Nutrient Management Influences Root Characteristics and Nitrogen Use Efficiency in the Vegetable-Based Agroecosystem in the Northwestern Himalayas

Archana Sharma, Jagjeet Chand Sharma, Yog Raj Shukla, Manohar Lal Verma, Upender Singh, Ranjit Singh Spehia, Deeksha Sharma, Krishan Lal Gautam (), Rushal Dogra, Huseyin Baris Tecimen, Munesh Kumar and Amit Kumar
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Archana Sharma: Department of Soil Science and Water Management, Dr. Yashwant Singh Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Solan 173230, Himachal Pradesh, India
Jagjeet Chand Sharma: Department of Soil Science and Water Management, Dr. Yashwant Singh Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Solan 173230, Himachal Pradesh, India
Yog Raj Shukla: Department of Vegetable Science, Dr. Yashwant Singh Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Solan 173230, Himachal Pradesh, India
Manohar Lal Verma: Department of Soil Science and Water Management, Dr. Yashwant Singh Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Solan 173230, Himachal Pradesh, India
Upender Singh: Department of Soil Science and Water Management, Dr. Yashwant Singh Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Solan 173230, Himachal Pradesh, India
Ranjit Singh Spehia: Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Tabo, Lahaul and Spiti, Dr. Yashwant Singh Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Solan 173230, Himachal Pradesh, India
Deeksha Sharma: Department of Entomology, Dr. Yashwant Singh Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Solan 173230, Himachal Pradesh, India
Krishan Lal Gautam: Deparment of Silviculture and Agroforestry, Dr. Yashwant Singh Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Solan 173230, Himachal Pradesh, India
Rushal Dogra: Deparment of Silviculture and Agroforestry, Dr. Yashwant Singh Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Solan 173230, Himachal Pradesh, India
Huseyin Baris Tecimen: Soil Science and Ecology Department, Faculty of Forestry, Istanbul University-Cerrahpasa, 34473 Istanbul, Turkey
Munesh Kumar: Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, HNB Garhwal University, Srinagar 249161, Uttarakhand, India
Amit Kumar: School of Hydrology and Water Resources, Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology, Nanjing 210044, China

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 13, 1-16

Abstract: Imbalanced nutrient fertilization adversely affects root growth and alters the nutrient use efficiency of a crop. This study aimed to understand the influence of integrated nutrient management on root characteristics and nitrogen use efficiency in the vegetable-based agroecosystem. The field trial was conducted at the Department of Soil Science and Water Management of Dr. Y S Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry Nauni, Solan (HP) India in 2019 and 2020. There were nine treatments viz . T 1 - control, T 2 -100% farmyard manure (FYM; N equivalent basis), T 3 -100% N, T 4 -100% NP, T 5 -100% NK, T 6 -100% PK, T 7 -100% NPK, T 8 -100% NPK + FYM (recommended practice), and T 9 -150% NPK + FYM on root densities (mass, volume, and length) and N use efficiency of cauliflower and capsicum. The results observed that different treatments exert significant effects on measured as well as derivative parameters. In detail, the application of 150% NPK + FYM recorded significantly higher root-mass density (0.72 and 1.71 g m −3 × 10 −3 ), root-volume density (4.49 and 2.52 m 3 m −3 × 10 −3 ), and root-length density (1.21 and 0.81 cm m −3 × 10 −4 ) in cauliflower and capsicum, respectively, which was statistically at par with treatment T 9 (100% NPK + FYM). Similarly, this treatment (150% NPK + FYM) resulted in a maximum positive N (774.6 kg ha −1 ), P (650.4 kg ha −1 ), and K (334.9 kg ha −1 ) balance of soil after the complete harvest of two cropping-sequence cycles. However, maximum agronomic N use efficiency (59.9 and 67.9 kg kg −1 ) and apparent recovery of N (39.3 and 59.7%) were recorded under 100% FYM (N equivalence) in cauliflower and capsicum, respectively, but this treatment produced the negative N balance (−91.7 kg ha −1 ) and K (−340.3 kg ha −1 ) in soil, whereas significant improvement in agronomic use efficiency, apparent recovery of applied N, as well as in soil, and the NPK balance was recorded under 100% NPK + FYM over the other treatment. This study recommended an integrated nutrient module that is the application of 100% NPK + FYM to ensure better root growth and positive nutrient balance in the soil.

Keywords: NPK balance; nitrogen-use efficiency; root-length density; root-mass density; root-volume density (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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