Journal Article

Sensor-based precision nutrient and irrigation management enhances the physiological performance, water productivity, and yield of soybean under system of crop intensification

Prasad, Shiv, Sannagoudar, Manjanagouda S., Devi, Ayekpam Dollina, Sachin, K. S., Praveen, B. R., Kushwaha, Hari Lal, Pooniya, Vijay, Nithinkumar, Kadagonda, Sudhishri, Susama, Rajanna, G. A., Kumari, Kavita, Dhar, Shiva, Krishnan, Prameela, Khanna, Manoj, Varatharajan, T., San, Aye-Aye, Sharma, Vinod Kumar, Singh, Raj, Singh, Teekam, Dass, Anchal, Choudhary, Anil K.

2023

Overview

Sensor-based decision tools provide a quick assessment of nutritional and physiological health status of crop, thereby enhancing the crop productivity. Therefore, a 2-year field study was undertaken with precision nutrient and irrigation management under system of crop intensification (SCI) to understand the applicability of sensor-based decision tools in improving the physiological performance, water productivity, and seed yield of soybean crop. The experiment consisted of three irrigation regimes [I 1 : standard flood irrigation at 50% depletion of available soil moisture (DASM) (FI), I 2 : sprinkler irrigation at 80% ET C (crop evapo-transpiration) (Spr 80% ET C ), and I 3 : sprinkler irrigation at 60% ET C (Spr 60% ET C )] assigned in main plots, with five precision nutrient management (PNM) practicesPNM 1 -[SCI protocol], PNM 2 -[RDF, recommended dose of fertilizer: basal dose incorporated (50% N, full dose of P and K)], PNM 3 -[RDF: basal dose point placement (BDP) (50% N, full dose of P and K)], PNM 4 -[75% RDF: BDP (50% N, full dose of P and K)] and PNM 5 -[50% RDF: BDP (50% N, full P and K)] assigned in sub-plots using a split-plot design with three replications. The remaining 50% N was top-dressed through SPAD assistance for all the PNM practices. Results showed that the adoption of Spr 80% ET C resulted in an increment of 25.6%, 17.6%, 35.4%, and 17.5% in net-photosynthetic rate (P n ), transpiration rate (T r ), stomatal conductance (G s ), and intercellular CO 2 concentration (C i ), respectively, over FI. Among PNM plots, adoption of PNM 3 resulted in a significant ( p =0.05) improvement in photosynthetic characters like P n (15.69 µ mol CO 2 m −2 s −1 ), T r (7.03 m mol H 2 O m −2 s− 1 ), G s (0.175 µmol CO 2 mol −1 year −1 ), and C i (271.7 mol H 2 O m 2 s −1 ). Enhancement in SPAD (27% and 30%) and normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) (42% and 52%) values were observed with nitrogen (N) top dressing through SPAD-guided nutrient management, helped enhance crop growth indices, coupled with better dry matter partitioning and interception of sunlight. Canopy temperature depression (CTD) in soybean reduced by 3.09–4.66°C due to adoption of sprinkler irrigation. Likewise, Spr 60% ETc recorded highest irrigation water productivity (1.08 kg ha −1 m −3 ). However, economic water productivity (27.5 INR ha −1 m −3 ) and water-use efficiency (7.6 kg ha −1 mm −1 day −1 ) of soybean got enhanced under Spr 80% ETc over conventional cultivation. Multiple correlation and PCA showed a positive correlation between physiological, growth, and yield parameters of soybean. Concurrently, the adoption of Spr 80% ET C with PNM 3 recorded significantly higher grain yield (2.63 t ha −1 ) and biological yield (8.37 t ha −1 ) over other combinations. Thus, the performance of SCI protocols under sprinkler irrigation was found to be superior over conventional practices. Hence, integrating SCI with sensor-based precision nutrient and irrigation management could be a viable option for enhancing the crop productivity and enhance the resource-use efficiency in soybean under similar agro-ecological regions.

• Publisher: Frontiers Media SA,Frontiers Media S.A
• Subject: Agricultural production / Carbon dioxide / Carbon dioxide concentration / Crop growth / Crop production / Crop yield / Crops / Dry matter / Fertilizers / Flood irrigation / Influence / Intensive farming / Interception / Irrigation / Irrigation systems / Irrigation water / Management / Nitrogen / Normalized difference vegetative index / Nutrients / Nutrition assessment / PAR interception / Photosynthesis / photosynthetic rate / Physiology / Plant Science / precision nutrient management / Productivity / SCI / Sensors / Soil moisture / Soybeans / SPAD / Sprinkler irrigation / Sprinkler systems / Stomata / Stomatal conductance / Transpiration / Water / Water management / Water use