Skip to main navigation menu Skip to main content Skip to site footer
Plant Science Today (PST)

Research Articles

Vol. 13 No. sp1 (2026): Recent Advances in Agriculture

Enhancing nitrogen use efficiency of wheat through real-time SPAD-based N fertilization

DOI
https://doi.org/10.14719/pst.11412
Submitted
22 August 2025
Published
29-01-2026

Abstract

Nitrogen (N) fertilization is critical for optimal wheat productivity, yet traditional application methods often lead to inefficiencies, economic losses and environmental pollution. Real-time monitoring of N through chlorophyll meter readings offers a promising approach. This method can optimize N use efficiency while maintaining yield potential. To investigate this approach, a field trial was established during the winter growing season of 2015-16. The study was conducted at the research station of Bihar Agricultural University, Sabour, Bihar, India. The experimental layout utilized a split-plot arrangement with fourteen treatment combinations, encompassing two soil plant analysis development (SPAD) measurement levels (42 and 44) across seven wheat genotypes (HD 2967, HD 2985, HI 1563, PBW 343, HW 1105, HD 3086 and Sabour Samriddhi), each treatment replicated thrice. Nitrogen management using SPAD threshold of 42 and 44 effectively preserved wheat cultivar growth and yield characteristics while reducing N fertilizer usage by 33 and 12 kg ha-1 respectively as compared to the state recommended dose of 120 kg N ha-1. Linear correlations between foliar N content and SPAD measurements at the crown root initiation (CRI) and tillering stages identified optimal SPAD values of 45.3 and 42.0 respectively, for maximizing grain yield. Economic analysis revealed that HD 2967 generated the highest profit margins and return ratios, with Sabour Samriddhi ranking second, both significantly outperforming PBW 343 in financial metrics. Thus, SPAD threshold of 42 proved most effective for maintaining wheat productivity and profitability through efficient N fertilizer management.

References

  1. 1. Grahmann K, Honsdorf N, Crossa J, Beltran GA, Govaerts B, Verhulst N. Dry sowing reduced durum wheat performance under irrigated conservation agriculture. Field Crops Res. 2021;274:1108310. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fcr.2021.108310
  2. 2. Prakash V, Ghosh M, Gupta SK, Kohli A. Zero tillage and nitrogen supplementation using chlorophyll meter in irrigated wheat. J Soil Water Conser. 2019;18(4):406-409. https://doi.org/10.5958/2455-7145.2019.00056.0
  3. 3. Dobermann A, Witt C, Dawe D, Abdulrachman S, Gines HC, Nagarajan R, et al. Site-specific nutrient management for intensive rice cropping systems in Asia. Field Crops Res. 2002;74(1):37-66. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0378-4290(01)00197-6
  4. 4. Lopez-Bellido RJ, Shepherd CE, Barraclough PB. Predicting post anthesis N requirements of bread wheat with a Minolta SPAD meter. Eur J Agron. 2004;20(3):313-20. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1161-0301(03)00025-X
  5. 5. Mehrabi F, Sepaskhah AR. Leaf nitrogen, based on SPAD chlorophyll reading can determine agronomic parameters of winter wheat. Int J Plant Prod. 2022;16:77-91. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42106-021-00172-2
  6. 6. Raj A, Singh SP, Singh VP, Pratap T, Bhattacharya P, Dey P. Combining site-specific nutrient allocation tools can decrease input demands in no-till wheat farming. Commun Soil Sci Plant Anal. 2025;56(1):90-107. https://doi.org/10.1080/00103624.2024.2406475
  7. 7. Ghosh M, Swain DK, Jha MK, Tewari VK. Chlorophyll meter-based nitrogen management of wheat in eastern India. Exp Agric. 2018;54(3):349-62. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0014479717000035
  8. 8. Singh B, Singh V, Singh Y, Thind HS, Kumar A, Gupta RK, et al. Fixed time adjustable dose site-specific fertilizer nitrogen management in transplanted irrigated rice (Oryza sativa L.) in South Asia. Field Crops Res. 2012;126:63-69. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fcr.2011.09.007
  9. 9. Greenhalgh S, Faeth P. A potential integrated water quality strategy for the Mississippi River Basin and the Gulf of Mexico. Sci World J. 2001;1(Suppl2):976-83. https://doi.org/10.1100/tsw.2001.354
  10. 10. Mitsch WJ, Day JW, Gilliam JW, Groffman PM, Hey DL, Randall GW, et al. Reducing nitrogen loading to the Gulf of Mexico from the Mississippi River Basin: Strategies to counter a persistent ecological problem. Bio Sci. 2001;51(5):373-88. https://doi.org/10.1641/0006-3568(2001)051[0373:RNLTTG]2.0.CO;2
  11. 11. Sutton MA, Oenema O, Erisman JW, Leip A, van Grinsven H, Winiwarter W. Too much of a good thing. Nature. 2011;472:159-61. https://doi.org/10.1038/472159a
  12. 12. Congreves KA, Otchere O, Ferland D, Farzadfar S, Williams S, Arcand MM. Nitrogen use efficiency definitions of today and tomorrow. Front Plant Sci. 2021;12:637108. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2021.637108
  13. 13. Ranjan S, Sow S, Kumar S, Ghosh M, Roy DK, Dutta SK, et al. Enhancing nutrient use efficiency and productivity of cereals through site specific nutrient management. J Cereal Res. 2022;14(3):229-42. https://doi.org/10.25174/2582-2675/2022/126895
  14. 14. Komatsuzaki M, Ohta H. Soil management practices for sustainable agro-ecosystems. Sustain Sci. 2007;2:103-20. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11625-006-0014-5
  15. 15. Wu G, Chen X, Zang Y, Ye Y, Qian X, Zhang W, et al. An optimized strategy of nitrogen-split application based on the leaf positional differences in chlorophyll meter readings. J Integr Agric. 2024;23(8):2605-17. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jia.2023.07.014
  16. 16. Rajsic P, Weersink A. Do farmers waste fertilizer? A comparison of ex post optimal nitrogen rates and ex ante recommendations by model, site and year. Agric Syst. 2008;97(1-2):56-67. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agsy.2007.12.001
  17. 17. Singh B, Singh V, Singh Y, Thind HS, Kumar A, Singh S, et al. Supplementing fertilizer nitrogen application to irrigated wheat at maximum tillering stage using chlorophyll meter and optical sensor. Agric Res. 2013;2(1):81-89. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40003-013-0053-y
  18. 18. Spaner D, Todd AG, Navabi A, McKenzie DB, Goonewardene LA. Can leaf chlorophyll measures at differing growth stages be used as an indicator of winter wheat and spring barley nitrogen requirements in eastern Canada? J Agron Crop Sci. 2005;191(5):393-99. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1439-037X.2005.00175.x
  19. 19. Shukla AK, Ladha JK, Singh VK, Dwivedi BS, Balasubramanian V, Gupta RK, et al. Calibrating the leaf color chart for nitrogen management in different genotypes of rice and wheat in a systems perspective. Agron J. 2004;96(6):1606-21. https://doi.org/10.2134/agronj2004.1606
  20. 20. Sow S, Singh G, Ghosh M, Dutta SK, Mandal N, Kumar S, et al. Nitrogen-management strategy through leaf-colour chart and SPAD meter for optimizing the productivity in irrigated wheat (Triticum aestivum). Indian J Agron. 2023;68(2):219-22. https://doi.org/10.59797/ija.v68i2.364
  21. 21. Huang J, He F, Cui K, Buresh RJ, Xu B, Gong W, et al. Determination of optimal nitrogen rate for rice varieties using a chlorophyll meter. Field Crops Res. 2008;105(1-2):70-80. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fcr.2007.07.006
  22. 22. Kunal, Gosal SK, Choudhary R, Singh R, Adholeya A. Improving nitrogen use efficiency using precision nitrogen management in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). J Plant Nutr Soil Sci. 2021;184(3):371-77. https://doi.org/10.1002/jpln.202000371
  23. 23. Subbiah BV, Asija GL. A rapid procedure for the estimation of available nitrogen in soils. Curr Sci. 1956;25:259-60.
  24. 24. Walkley A, Black IA. An examination of the Degtjareff method for determining soil organic matter and a proposed modification of the chromic acid titration method. Soil Sci. 1934;37(1):29-38. https://doi.org/10.1097/00010694-193401000-00003
  25. 25. Olsen SR, Cole CV, Watanabe FS. Estimation of available phosphorus in soils by extraction with sodium bicarbonate. USDA Circular No. 939. Washington, DC: US Government Printing Office; 1954.
  26. 26. Jackson ML. Soil chemical analysis. New Delhi: Prentice Hall of India Pvt. Ltd.; 1973. p.183-408.
  27. 27. Nelson DW, Sommers LE. Total nitrogen analysis of soil and plant tissues. J Assoc Off Anal Chem. 1980;63(4):770-78. https://doi.org/10.1093/jaoac/63.4.770
  28. 28. Ghosh M, Roychowdhury A, Dutta SK, Hazra KK, Singh G, Kohli A, et al. SPAD chlorophyll meter-based real-time nitrogen management in manure-amended lowland rice. J Soil Sci Plant Nutr. 2023;23:5993-6005. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42729-023-01457-3
  29. 29. Sow S, Kumar N, Rana L, Singh AK, Kumar V, Singh H, et al. Suitable planting material with integrated nutrient management can enhance productivity, nutrient use efficiency and profitability of sugarcane. J Soil Sci Plant Nutr. 2025;25:3652–75. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42729-025-02358-3
  30. 30. Exchange rates and currency conversion., 2025. Available from: https://www.exchangerates.org.uk/ [Accessed 01 November 2025].
  31. 31. Gomez KA, Gomez AA. Statistical procedures for agricultural research. New York: John Wiley & Sons; 1984.
  32. 32. Kim TH, Kim SM. Effects of SPAD value variations according to nitrogen application levels on rice yield and its components. Front Plant Sci. 2024;15:1437371. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2024.1437371
  33. 33. Peng LL, Ying LY, Guo LS, Long PX. Effects of nitrogen management on the yield of winter wheat in cold area of northeastern China. J Integr Agric. 2012;11(6):1020-25. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2095-3119(12)60094-X
  34. 34. Dayal P, Kumar A, Singh M, Ranjan S, Sow S, Pal RK, et al. Soil fertility status and physio-agronomic performance of wheat grown under contrasting tillage and weed management scenarios. J Soil Water Conserv. 2023;22(3):242-49. https://doi.org/10.5958/2455-7145.2023.00031.0
  35. 35. Hnizil O, Baidani A, Khlila I, Nsarellah N, Laamari A, Amamou A. Integrating NDVI, SPAD and canopy temperature for strategic nitrogen and seeding rate management to enhance yield, quality and sustainability in wheat cultivation. Plants. 2024;13(11):1574. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13111574
  36. 36. García del Moral MB, García del Moral LF. Tiller production and survival in relation to grain yield in winter and spring barley. Field Crops Res. 1995;44(2-3):85-93. https://doi.org/10.1016/0378-4290(95)00072-0
  37. 37. Singh V, Singh B, Singh Y, Thind HS, Gupta RK. Need based nitrogen management using the chlorophyll meter and leaf colour chart in rice and wheat in South Asia: A review. Nutr Cycl Agroecosyst. 2010;88:361-80. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10705-010-9363-7
  38. 38. Zhao BQ, Li XY, Li XP, Shi XJ, Huang SM, Wang BR, et al. Long-term fertilizer experiment network in China: Crop yields and soil nutrient trends. Agron J. 2010;102(1):216-30. https://doi.org/10.2134/agronj2009.0182
  39. 39. Ghosh M, Swain DK, Jha MK, Tewari VK. Chlorophyll meter-based nitrogen management in a rice-wheat cropping system in eastern India. Int J Plant Prod. 2020;14:355-71. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42106-020-00089-2
  40. 40. Scharf PC, Shannon DK, Palm HL, Sudduth KA, Drummond ST, Kitchen NR, et al. Sensor-based nitrogen applications outperformed producer-chosen rates for corn in on-farm demonstrations. Agron J. 2011;103(6):1683-91. https://doi.org/10.2134/agronj2011.0164
  41. 41. Kumar B, Shaloo, Bisht H, Meena MC, Dey A, Dass A, et al. Nitrogen management sensor optimization, yield, economics and nitrogen use efficiency of different wheat cultivars under varying nitrogen levels. Front Sustain Food Syst. 2023;7:1228221. https://doi.org/10.3389/fsufs.2023.1228221

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.