Impact of conventional and nano fertilizers on rainfed maize yield, profitability and soil nitrogen
Nitrogen (N) is a vital macronutrient for maize productivity, but significant losses under rainfed conditions limit its availability and yield potential. There is a need for energy-efficient and eco-friendly fertilizers along with improved agronomic practices to enhance nutrient use efficiency, crop...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Nanotechnology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnano.2025.1617500/full |
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| Summary: | Nitrogen (N) is a vital macronutrient for maize productivity, but significant losses under rainfed conditions limit its availability and yield potential. There is a need for energy-efficient and eco-friendly fertilizers along with improved agronomic practices to enhance nutrient use efficiency, crop productivity, and profitability. An experiment was conducted under semi-arid conditions in India in a single location to evaluate the economic and environmental performance of conventional fertilizers at varying nitrogen levels [0, 50, 75, and 100% recommended rate of nitrogen (RDN)] with and without nano-urea in rainfed maize. Application of 100% recommended NPK through conventional fertilizers along with nano-urea spray (N100PK + nano-urea) recorded significantly higher yield (3,026 kg ha-1) and economic returns (US $ 477 ha-1). Notably, the N75PK + nano-urea registered comparable yield over N100PK + nano-urea and N100PK, demonstrating that two foliar sprays of nano-urea could reduce nitrogen input by 25% without yield loss. Additionally, this approach reduced greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 25% and energy consumption by 14.9%, highlighting its potential for sustainable maize production. Though the results are encouraging it should be tested across crops and regions. |
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| ISSN: | 2673-3013 |