European Journal of Sustainable Agroecosystems

Background and Objective: Almost 40% of the world’s agricultural lands limit wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) production because of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium deficiency. It is believed that controlled release fertilizers (CRF) and organic sources of nutrients are an innovative method of improving soil sustainability and enhancing the efficiency of nutrient utilization. The present paper aims to assess the performance of controlled release fertilizers and organic nutrients against conventional soluble fertilizers in terms of their effectiveness and environmental safety.
Methods: A field experiment was conducted in two growing seasons (2021-2022 and 2022-2023) with the help of a randomized complete block design. The experiment involved five treatments for nutrients management: (1) Control (without fertilizers), (2) Conventional soluble fertilizer (use of 400 kg N ha⁻¹), (3) Controlled slow-release fertilizer (use of 400 kg N ha⁻¹), (4) Organic nutrient source (composted manure + biofertilizers), and (5) Integrated nutrient management (Controlled-release fertilizer + organic fertilizer). The parameters from growth, physiological processes, nutrient uptake efficiency, soil health indicators, and components of yield of the grain were monitored during the growing season [4-6].
Results: The applications of controlled-release fertilizer (CRF) and the integrated nutrient management (INM) system resulted in obtaining grain yields of 5.47 and 5.62 t/ha, respectively as opposed to the conventional fertilizer yield (4.98 t/ha) and the control yield (2.84 t/ha) (p value<0.01). The nitrogen-use efficiency was enhanced by 28.4% with CRF and by 31.2% with INM as compared to that of the conventional fertilizer treatment. Microbial biomass carbon increased in quantities of 42.3% with organic treatment and 38.1% for integrated management, indicating a significant increase in the soil biological productivity. The amount of soil organic carbon increased during the last two seasons by 18.4% for organic treatment and by 16.2% for integrated management.
Scientific Significance: This study demonstrates that the use of controlled-release fertilizers and integrated nutrient management methods enables to reach new levels of efficiency in the use of nutrients, increasing productivity of crops and preserving the soil. This is a good way to achieve sustainable intensification in regions with water scarcity and improve the health of soil at the same time [7-9].
Conclusion: Combining controlled-release fertilizers with organic sources of nutrients provides good methods to manage nutrients that can increase wheat yields, improve nutrient-use efficiency, and enhance soil health in semi-arid areas. Integrating controlled-release fertilizer with organic materials allows for gaining synergetic effects for sustainable wheat growing and climate-resilient agriculture.