Synergizing Nano-Urea and Organic Manure for Enhanced Physiological Efficiency and Productivity in Wheat
Avinash Kumar Rai
Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Sonbhadra, Uttar Pradesh, India.
Uma Sharma *
College of Biotechnology, DUVASU Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, India.
Neha Pathak
Department of Botany, Sanskriti University Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, India.
Ajeet Singh
Department of Agronomy, Janta Vedik College Baraut (Baghpat), Uttar Pradesh, India.
Sumit Raj
Department of Soil Conservation and Water Management, CSAUA & T Kanpur-02, India.
Sulochna
Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture, Agriculture College Garhwa Bishunpur, Piprakala, Garhwa-822114, Birsa Agricultural University, Jharkhand, India.
Narinder Panotra
Institute of Biotechnology, SKUAST Jammu J&K -180009, India.
Mukti Verma
Department of Chemistry, C.C.S.University, Meerut, India.
Shobha Thakur
Department of Chemistry, Sam Higginbotham University of Agriculture Technology and Sciences, Uttar Pradesh, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Background: Sustainable nutrient management mitigates soil degradation by synergizing nano-fertilizers, organic amendments, and bio-biological inoculants.
Methods and Materials: A randomized block design field experiment was conducted during the 2024–25 Rabi Winter season at KVK, Ghazipur India, evaluating nine nutrient management strategies on wheat variety DBW-187. Treatments integrated 100% and 75% recommended doses of fertilizer (RDF) with farmyard manure (FYM; 5 t ha⁻¹), liquid NPK consortia seed treatments, and foliar-applied nano-urea (4% w/v). Rigorous physiological assessments included periodic dry matter accumulation, Leaf Area Index (LAI), and Crop Growth Rate (CGR). Post-harvest elemental analysis quantified nitrogen concentration via the micro-Kjeldahl method to derive physiological efficiency (PE).
Results: Experimental findings revealed a superior performance hierarchy of T4>T6>T5>T7 > T9>T8> T2>T3>T1 across all parameters. Treatment T4 (100% RDF + FYM) achieved peak grain yield ( 6.20 t ha⁻¹), dry matter ( 248.0 g m⁻¹), and LAI ( 3.20 ), closely followed by the nano-urea intervention ( T6 ). Nano-urea significantly enhanced nitrogen use efficiency, yielding a grain nitrogen content of 1.82 % and a PE of 38.4 . This superiority stems from optimized source-to-sink translocation and sustained metabolic activity during the critical 60–90 DAS interval, where CGR peaked at 25.60 g m⁻² day⁻¹.
Conclusion: Integrating nano-urea with organic manure optimizes physiological efficiency and maximizes wheat productivity through enhanced nutrient assimilation and soil resilience.
Keywords: Nano-urea, integrated nutrient management, physiological efficiency, crop growth rate, sustainable intensification