Researchers at New Delhi’s Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University have identified visual features that determine nitrogen-use efficiency in rice.
Cultivars that yield more with lesser N input tend to exhibit slow germination and flowering, grow taller and deeper with higher biomass, and are long-duration rice, according to the study.
The scientists also identified 34 genes associated with Nitrogen-use efficiency that can be used for breeding improved crops.
Read the full story at The Hindu Business Line
More on efficient nutrient management in rice:
Precision nutrient management tools help Indian farmers make smart fertilizer decisions
Plant nutrients play an important role in crop production and the realization of food security. The proper amount of fertilizer, the correct nutrients in the right proportion, and the application of fertilizer at the right time and through appropriate methods help farming communities attain higher yields and profitability. Balanced fertilization also helps maintain soil health, which leads to environmentally sustainable farming. In South Asia, however, most farmers are often unaware of the specific role and contribution of each plant nutrient. Farmers’ fertilizer decision-making processes are commonly limited and usually based on perceptions that rarely follow the concept of balanced nutrition.
Extension goes mobile
Roland Buresh, principal scientist at the International Rice Research Institute, and his team have spent thousands of hours turning the idea of small-scale precision farming into a reality through the decision tool known as Nutrient Manager for Rice (NMRice). This computer-based software guides farmers in applying fertilizer properly and efficiently in their respective rice fields. The software, which was first made available on CD and through the Internet, was intended to assist extension workers and farmers in accessing recommendations regarding fertilizer application specific to the conditions of a rice farm. (See Site-specific Nutrient Management). But the necessity for computers, the Internet, and even electricity to run these tools limits access for many small-scale farmers in Asia.
Precision agriculture for small-scale farmers
Crop management has no such thing as a one-practice-fits-all solution. In fact, awareness is increasing throughout the world that crop management practices must be tailored to location-specific needs in order to produce more food with higher profitability and to reduce risks to the environment. This is particularly important for the application of nutrients to cereal crops because optimal amounts and sources of nutrients to meet the needs of the crop can vary, even across short distances within and among fields. If the application of nutrients as fertilizers is insufficient, it can result in loss of yield and profit, whereas applications in excess of crop needs not only reduce profit but can also increase risks to the environment.
