Synergistic Impact of Integrated Nutrient Matrices and Nano-Urea on Wheat Productivity and Pedological Resilience
Avinash Kumar Rai
Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh, Directorate of Extension, Aacharya Narendra Dev University of Agriculture & Technology, Kumarganj, Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, India.
Namrata Kashyap *
Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Kamrup, Assam Agricultural University, Kahikuchi Campus, Assam, India.
H. Barath Gowda
Department of Agronomy, University of Agricultural Sciences, GKVK, Bangalore, Karnataka, India.
Sulochna
Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture, Agriculture College Garhwa Bishunpur, Piprakala, Garhwa-822114, Birsa Agricultural University, Jharkhand, India.
C. Rajesh
Department of agronomy, University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore, India.
Indrani Debasmita Borah
Department of Agronomy, Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat, India.
Ronak Meena
Department of Horticulture, North-Eastern Hill University, Meghalaya, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Integrated nutrient matrices optimise wheat productivity and edaphic health while mitigating the ecological footprint of intensive fertilisation. Nano-fertilisers, specifically Nano-Urea, represent a frontier in agricultural engineering. By leveraging a high surface-to-volume ratio, nanoscale nutrients bypass traditional soil-bound loss pathways through direct foliar penetration and controlled metabolic release. The present study explores the synergistic impact of integrated nutrient matrices and Nano-Urea on wheat productivity and pedological resilience in a semi-arid/subtropical zone during the wet season. A field experiment was conducted during the 2024–25 Rabi season at KVK, Ghazipur, India using a randomised block design with three replications. The study evaluated nine nutrient management strategies in the wheat variety DBW-187 (Karan Vandana). Treatments integrated the Recommended Dose of Fertiliser (RDF: 150:60:40 kg ha⁻¹) with organic amendments (FYM @ 5 t ha⁻¹) and precision nanotechnology (Nano-Urea foliar sprays). Key physiological indices—Leaf Area Duration (LAD), Chlorophyll (SPAD), and protein biosynthesis—were monitored alongside post-harvest pedological properties and resource use efficiency metrics such as Partial Factor Productivity (PFP). Treatment T4 (100% RDF + FYM) achieved the highest grain yield (6.20 t ha⁻¹) and maximum LAD (175.6 days), followed closely by T6 (100% RDF + Nano-Urea). Nano-Urea application significantly elevated grain protein to 10.2% and physiological efficiency to 38.4 by bypassing traditional nitrogen loss pathways. Integrated regimes also ameliorated soil architecture, reducing bulk density to 1.42 g/cc and augmenting soil organic carbon to 0.52%. These synergies align nutrient flux with crop ontogenetic demand, maximising metabolic assimilation and environmental stewardship. Integrated management using FYM and Nano-Urea optimises wheat yields, protein quality, and soil resilience.
Keywords: Nano-urea, integrated nutrient management, resource use efficiency, soil organic carbon, precision agriculture.