Improving nutrient use efficiency and profitability in rainfed production systems

Prevalence of yield gaps, multiple nutrient deficiencies and low nutrient use efficiencies in rainfed region helped in initiating this project. The project was aimed at establishing strategies for improving nutrient use efficiencies and enhancing productivity and profitability of farmers in the rainfed region.

IPNI-2010-IND-514

12 Sep 2010

Project Description


The rainfed production systems in India occupies 60% of net cultivable area (85 million ha), supporting about 40% of the total food production in the country. There has been a tremendous yield gap between the potential yield and the actual realized yields under rainfed systems and multiple nutrient deficiencies coupled with low nutrient use efficiencies are some of the reasons for low yields in these regions. Thus there is a need to establish strategies for improving nutrient use efficiencies and increasing productivity and profitability of farmers in this region. Thus, a research project on "Increasing nutrient use efficiency and profitability in rainfed production system" was initiated in collaborations with the Soil Scientists of Central Research Institute for Dryland Agriculture. The technical programme was developed in such a way that the set of treatments designed for this project would help in evolving alternatives for risk minimization and productivity enhancement options in rainfed production systems.

Objectives
1. To assess the nutrient use efficiency through balanced nutrition approach in dryland production systems
2. To work out the economics of the balanced nutrition in farmer fields under rainfed conditions