Enhancing Wheat Productivity in Pakistan through Nitrogen Management and NDVI Monitoring with Green Seeker

Authors

  • Ansaar Ahmed CIMMYT, CSI, NARC, Park Road, Islamabad, Pakistan
  • Murad Ali Agriculture Research Institute Mingora, Swat, Pakistan
  • Abdul Basir Department of Agriculture, The University of Swabi, Pakistan
  • Imtiaz Hussain National Agriculture Research Center (NARC), Islamabad, Pakistan
  • Thakur Parsad Tiwari CIMMYT, CSI, NARC, Park Road, Islamabad, Pakistan *Correspondence author: a.ahmad@cgiar.org

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.38211/joarps.2024.05.291

Keywords:

Fertilization, Financial returns, Nitrogen efficiency, Productivity, Wheat

Abstract

Enhancing sustainability in modern farming systems, it is crucial to minimize environmental pollution from nitrogenous fertilizers by optimizing their application rates. The cost of production for wheat is increasing in Pakistan due to irrational use of nitrogen fertilizers by farming community which are costly and sometimes lead to high vegetative growth causing severe lodging thereby reducing yield. Optimum use of nitrogen (N) fertilizer is therefore empirical to improve the productivity of wheat at a reasonable cost. A field study for two-year was conducted at Ayub Agricultural Research Institute, Faisalabad to manage N fertilizers to enhance nitrogen use efficiency and improve financial return. A sensor-based nitrogen application using Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) was compared with farmer practice by using T-test. Results revealed that there was 29% reduction in the use of N and an increase of 12 % in wheat grain yield. Increase in yield with sensor base fertilization improved nitrogen uptake efficiency (39%) and nitrogen fertilizer productivity (59 %) compared to farmer-based N application. The sensor-based management system and the farmer's practices had nitrogen-use efficiencies of 49% and 44%, respectively. The highest net benefits (US$789), benefit cost ratio (1.92) and resource use efficiency (0.864) in sensor-based application of N revealed that the nitrogen management with the help of Green Seeker could be a viable option for enhancing NUE, financial returns and reduction of environmental contamination.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Ahmed, A., & Basir, A. (2024). Impact of Cropping System and Planting Techniques On Soil Properties and Wheat Productivity Under Rainfed Condition. Journal of Crop Health, 76(1), 261-268. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10343-023-00932-2

Ali, A. M. (2020). Development of an algorithm for optimizing nitrogen fertilization in wheat using GreenSeeker proximal optical sensor. Experimental Agriculture, 56(5), 688-698. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0014479720000241

Ali, M., Ahmed, I., Bibi, H., Saeed, M., Khalil, I. A., & Bari, A. (2023). Impact of irrigation schedules on yield-related traits of wheat under semi-arid region. Gesunde Pflanzen, 75(6), 2413-2422. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10343-023-00888-3

Ali, M., Al-Ani, A., Eamus, D., & Tan, D. K. (2017). Leaf nitrogen determination using non-destructive techniques–A review. Journal of Plant Nutrition, 40(7), 928-953. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/01904167.2016.1143954

Arnall, D., Mallarino, A., Ruark, M., Varvel, G., Solie, J., Stone, M., . . . Raun, W. (2013). Relationship between grain crop yield potential and nitrogen response. Agronomy Journal, 105(5), 1335-1344. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2134/agronj2013.0034

Báez‐González, A. D., Chen, P. y., Tiscareño‐López, M., & Srinivasan, R. (2002). Using satellite and field data with crop growth modeling to monitor and estimate corn yield in Mexico. Crop science, 42(6), 1943-1949. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2135/cropsci2002.1943

Billah, M. M., Ahmad, W., & Ali, M. (2019). Biochar particle size and Rhizobia strains effect on the uptake and efficiency of nitrogen in lentils. Journal of Plant Nutrition, 42(15), 1709-1725. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/01904167.2019.1628984

Bredemeier, C., Vian, A. L., & Pires, J. L. F. (2016). Aplicação de nitrogênio em tempo real: modelos e aplicações.

Bremner, J. M. (1996). Nitrogen‐total. Methods of soil analysis: Part 3 Chemical methods, 5, 1085-1121. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2136/sssabookser5.3.c37

Bushong, J. T., Mullock, J. L., Miller, E. C., Raun, W. R., & Brian Arnall, D. (2016). Evaluation of mid-season sensor based nitrogen fertilizer recommendations for winter wheat using different estimates of yield potential. Precision agriculture, 17, 470-487. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11119-016-9431-3

Chavarria, G., Rosa, W. P. d., Hoffmann, L., & Durigon, M. R. (2015). Growth regulator in wheat plants: reflexes on vegetative development, yield and grain quality. Revista Ceres, 62, 583-588. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1590/0034-737X201562060011

Cimmyt, M., & Cimmyt, M. (1988). From agronomic data to farmer recommendations: an economics training manual: CIMMYT.

Dhital, S., & Raun, W. (2016). Variability in optimum nitrogen rates for maize. Agronomy Journal, 108(6), 2165-2173. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2134/agronj2016.03.0139

Diacono, M., Rubino, P., & Montemurro, F. (2013). Precision nitrogen management of wheat. A review. Agronomy for Sustainable Development, 33, 219-241. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13593-012-0111-z

Guo, Z., Zhang, Y., Zhao, J., Shi, Y., & Yu, Z. (2014). Nitrogen use by winter wheat and changes in soil nitrate nitrogen levels with supplemental irrigation based on measurement of moisture content in various soil layers. Field Crops Research, 164, 117-125. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fcr.2014.05.016

Heffer, P., & Prud’homme, M. (2016). Global nitrogen fertiliser demand and supply: trend, current level and outlook.

Jadhav, V., & Ramappa, K. (2023). Agriculture Input Policies in India: Retrospect and Prospects. Asian Journal of Agricultural Extension, Economics and Sociology, 41, 427-443. DOI: https://doi.org/10.9734/ajaees/2023/v41i92062

Koutroubas, S. D., Fotiadis, S., & Damalas, C. A. (2012). Biomass and nitrogen accumulation and translocation in spelt (Triticum spelta) grown in a Mediterranean area. Field Crops Research, 127, 1-8. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fcr.2011.10.011

Martínez-Dalmau, J., Berbel, J., & Ordóñez-Fernández, R. (2021). Nitrogen fertilization. A review of the risks associated with the inefficiency of its use and policy responses. Sustainability, 13(10), 5625. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/su13105625

Mitra, B., Singha, P., Roy Chowdhury, A., Sinha, A. K., Skalicky, M., Brestic, M., . . . Hossain, A. (2023). Normalized difference vegetation index sensor-based nitrogen management in bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.): Nutrient uptake, use efficiency, and partial nutrient balance. Frontiers in Plant Science, 14, 1153500. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2023.1153500

Mondal, T., Mitra, B., & Das, S. (2018). Precision nutrient management in wheat (Triticum aestivum) using Nutrient Expert®: Growth phenology, yield, nitrogen-use efficiency and profitability under eastern sub-Himalayan plains. Indian journal of agronomy, 63(2), 174-180.

Montemurro, F., Maiorana, M., Ferri, D., & Convertini, G. (2006). Nitrogen indicators, uptake and utilization efficiency in a maize and barley rotation cropped at different levels and sources of N fertilization. Field Crops Research, 99(2-3), 114-124. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fcr.2006.04.001

Rao, D., Dey, P., & Reddy, K. S. (2021). Plant Demand Adapted Fertilization in Organic and Precision Farming. Soil and Recycling Management in the Anthropocene Era, 137-166. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-51886-8_6

Ratanoo, R., Kumar, S., Dhaka, A., & Singh, B. (2016). Nitrogen management in irrigated wheat (Triticum aestivum) using optical sensor Green Seeker. Indian journal of agronomy, 61(1), 105-108. DOI: https://doi.org/10.59797/ija.v61i1.4331

Samborski, S. M., Gozdowski, D., Stępień, M., Walsh, O. S., & Leszczyńska, E. (2016). On-farm evaluation of an active optical sensor performance for variable nitrogen application in winter wheat. European Journal of Agronomy, 74, 56-67. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eja.2015.11.020

Sellami, M. H., Albrizio, R., Čolović, M., Hamze, M., Cantore, V., Todorovic, M., . . . Stellacci, A. M. (2022). Selection of hyperspectral vegetation indices for monitoring yield and physiological response in sweet maize under different water and nitrogen availability. Agronomy, 12(2), 489. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12020489

Sharma, L. K., & Bali, S. K. (2017). A review of methods to improve nitrogen use efficiency in agriculture. Sustainability, 10(1), 51. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/su10010051

Singh, V., Singh, M., & Singh, B. (2022). Spectral indices measured with proximal sensing using canopy reflectance sensor, chlorophyll meter and leaf color chart for in-season grain yield prediction of basmati rice. Pedosphere, 32(6), 812-822. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pedsph.2022.06.015

Steel, R. G., Torrie, J. H., & Dickey, D. A. (1997). Principles and procedures of statistics: a biometrical approach.

Thomason, W., Phillips, S., Davis, P., Warren, J., Alley, M., & Reiter, M. (2011). Variable nitrogen rate determination from plant spectral reflectance in soft red winter wheat. Precision agriculture, 12, 666-681. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11119-010-9210-5

Walsh, O. S., Shafian, S., & Christiaens, R. J. (2018). Evaluation of sensor-based nitrogen rates and sources in wheat. International Journal of Agronomy, 2018. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1155/2018/5670479

Wato, T., Negash, T., & Bonga, E. (2020). The response of teff [Eragrostis teff (Zucc) trotter] to nitrogen fertilizer application and row spacing: a review. Advances in Life Science and Technology, 78, 7-13.

Yang, X., Lu, Y., Ding, Y., Yin, X., & Raza, S. (2017). Optimising nitrogen fertilisation: A key to improving nitrogen-use efficiency and minimising nitrate leaching losses in an intensive wheat/maize rotation (2008–2014). Field Crops Research, 206, 1-10. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fcr.2017.02.016

Downloads

Published

2024-09-25

How to Cite

Ahmed, A., Ali, M., Basir, A., Hussain, I., & Tiwari, T. P. (2024). Enhancing Wheat Productivity in Pakistan through Nitrogen Management and NDVI Monitoring with Green Seeker. Journal of Applied Research in Plant Sciences , 5(02), 355–363. https://doi.org/10.38211/joarps.2024.05.291

Similar Articles

1 2 3 4 5 6 > >> 

You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.