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Plant Science Today (PST)

Research Articles

Vol. 11 No. 4 (2024)

Nutrient and energy conservation through nano-fertilizers in maize

DOI
https://doi.org/10.14719/pst.4380
Submitted
18 July 2024
Published
31-10-2024 — Updated on 31-10-2024
Versions

Abstract

In the current scenario, achieving food security while conserving resources and energy is a significant challenge. Maize is a widely cultivated but nutrient-exhaustive crop. The adoption of nanotechnology-based nano-fertilizers offers a pathway for achieving sustainable yields while reducing fertilizer requirements and conserving energy. A field experiment was conducted during the Kharif season of 2021 to explore nutrient and energy conservation through nano-fertilizers in maize at the University of Agricultural Sciences, GKVK, Bengaluru. The experiment involved nine treatments comprising various combinations of the recommended dose of fertilizers (RDF) with nano-urea and nano di-ammonium phosphate (DAP) under a randomized complete block design (RCBD). The results indicated that Treatment T5 - 75% of the recommended dose of nitrogen (RDN) + nano-N-achieved a higher yield (10.20% higher than the conventional practice, T1-RDF + farmyard manure (FYM)) and improved nutrient uptake at harvest [299.22, 55.56 and 208.26 kg of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) per hectare, respectively]. This treatment also demonstrated greater physiological efficiency (36.11, 200.66 and 52.70 kg of maize per kg of N, P and K, respectively), higher energy output (260,851 MJ ha-1), improved energy use efficiency (16.93), enhanced energy productivity (0.627 kg MJ-1), and better energy profitability (15.93). Using 75% of RDN + nano-N increases yield while reducing fertilizer use and conserving energy.

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