Improving Nutrient Use Efficiency in Oilseeds Brassica

Abstract

The food and edible oil demand is increasing continuously and is expected to be doubled by 2050, while the production system and natural resources are continuously deteriorating. In this context enhancing nutrient use efficiency is the need of the hour for increasing crop productivity and reducing the nutrient waste, which is very high presently. The efficiency means the ability of a system to convert inputs into preferred outputs or to minimize input requirement losses. Enhancement of nutrient use efficiency (NUE) by plants could lessen fertilizer input, reduce the nutrient losses, and boost up the crop productivity. There is scope to increase the mustard productivity up to 2,000.0kg/ha, from present national average of 1,145kg/ha enhancing input use efficiency in which fertilizers nutrient sources have great role to play. Nutrient use efficiency enhancement is prerequisite not only for primary nutrients but also for secondary and micronutrients for oilseeds Brassica. Mustard, in general, is very sensitive to micronutrient deficiency, specially zinc and boron. The response of various ideotype to the applied micronutrients varies considerably. The precise information of the bio-physiological mechanism for adaptation to nutrient stress will help in enhancing NUE at plant level. It is important to exploit the potential of organic manures, composts, crop residues, agricultural wastes, bio-fertilizers, and their synergistic effect in combination with chemical fertilizers. This is needed for improving balanced nutrient supply and their use efficiency for increasing productivity, sustainability of agriculture, and soil health. INM improves the nutrient uptake by mustard and hence enhances the use efficiency of various nutrients from the soil.