Nutrient use efficiency (NUE) of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) as affected by NPK fertilization

PLoS One. 2022 Jan 27;17(1):e0262771. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0262771. eCollection 2022.

Abstract

Nutrient use efficiency is crucial for increasing crop yield and quality while reducing fertilizer inputs and minimizing environmental damage. The experiments were carried out in silty clay loam soil of Lalitpur, Nepal, to examine how different amounts of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) influenced crop performance and nutrient efficiency indices in wheat during 2019/20 and 2020/21. The field experiment comprised three factorial randomized complete block designs that were replicated three times. N levels (100, 125, 150 N kg ha-1), P levels (25, 50, 75 P2O5 kg ha-1), and K levels (25, 50, 75 K2O kg ha-1) were three factors evaluated, with a total of 27 treatment combinations. Grain yields were significantly increased by N and K levels and were optimum @ 125 kg N ha-1 and @ 50 kg K2O ha-1 with grain yields of 6.33 t ha-1 and 6.30 t ha-1, respectively. Nutrient levels influenced statistically partial factor productivity, internal efficiency, partial nutrient budget, recovery efficiency, agronomic efficiency, and physiological efficiency of NPK for wheat. Nutrient efficiency was found to be higher at lower doses of their respective nutrients. Higher P and K fertilizer rates enhanced wheat N efficiencies, and the case was relevant for P and K efficiencies as well. Wheat was more responsive to N and K fertilizer, and a lower rate of P application reduced N and K fertilizer efficiency. This study recommends to use N @ 125 kg ha-1, P2O5 @ 25 kg ha-1 and K2O @ 50 kg ha-1 as an optimum rate for efficient nutrient management in wheat in mid-hills of Nepal.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Agriculture / methods
  • Edible Grain / drug effects
  • Edible Grain / growth & development
  • Fertilization / drug effects
  • Fertilizers
  • Nepal
  • Nitrogen / chemistry*
  • Nutrients / pharmacology*
  • Phosphorus / chemistry*
  • Soil / chemistry
  • Triticum / drug effects*
  • Triticum / growth & development*

Substances

  • Fertilizers
  • Soil
  • Phosphorus
  • Nitrogen

Grants and funding

The financial support for carrying out the research program was provided by Nepal Agricultural Study Council and Nepal Seed and Fertilizer Project/CIMMYT. The funders had no involvement in the study design, data collection and analysis, publication decision, or manuscript preparation.