Abstract
Rainfed agriculture in the semi‐arid tropical (SAT) regions of India is greatly influenced by water shortages caused by low, highly variable, and erratic rainfall. However, apart from water shortages, crop productivity in these regions is also affected by low fertility. Little effort has been devoted to diagnosing and managing the nutrient‐related problems in farmers' fields in the SAT regions of India. The ongoing integrated watershed management program by the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi‐arid Tropics and its partners provided the opportunity to diagnose the soil infertility‐related problems by soil testing, develop nutrient management protocols, and determine on‐farm crop responses to fertilization in the SAT zone of India. This article discusses examples from recent research on the diagnosis of multinutrient deficiencies and on‐farm crop responses to fertilization. Results of analyses of soil samples from farmers' fields in several districts of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh states and Junagarh district, Gujarat, showed that almost all farmers' fields had low organic carbon (C), low to moderate available phosphorus (P), and generally adequate extractable potassium (K). However, the widespread deficiencies of sulfur (S), boron (B), and zinc (Zn) were most revealing; their deficiencies varied with nutrient, district, and state. On‐farm trials conducted during three seasons (2002–2004) in three districts of Andhra Pradesh showed significant yield responses of maize, castor, groundnut, and mung bean to the applications of S, B, and Zn over farmer's input treatment, and the yield responses were larger when these nutrients were added along with nitrogen (N) and P. It is concluded that the deficiencies of nutrients such as S, B, and Zn are widespread and are holding back the potential of rainfed production systems. Clearly, nutrient deficiencies can be diagnosed by soil testing.
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Claims 8
Claim · model-written summary
Nearly all sampled farmers’ fields had low organic carbon and low to moderate available phosphorus, while extractable potassium was generally adequate.
- Outcome
- low organic carbon (C), low to moderate available phosphorus (P), and generally adequate extractable potassium (K)e0
Not reportedTaxon
Verbatim
e0“almost all farmers' fields had low organic carbon (C), low to moderate available phosphorus (P), and generally adequate extractable potassium (K)”
Claim · model-written summary
Sulfur, boron and zinc deficiencies were widespread and varied by nutrient, district and state.
- Outcome
- deficiencies of sulfur (S), boron (B), and zinc (Zn)e0
- Qualifier
- varied with nutrient, district, and statee0
Not reportedTaxon
Verbatim
e0“widespread deficiencies of sulfur (S), boron (B), and zinc (Zn) were most revealing; their deficiencies varied with nutrient, district, and state”
Claim · model-written summary
Sulfur, boron and zinc applications significantly increased maize yield relative to farmer input.
- Treatment
- applications of S, B, and Zne0
- Outcome
- yield responses of maizee0
- Direction
- increaseinferrede0
- Comparator
- farmer's input treatmente0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“significant yield responses of maize, castor, groundnut, and mung bean to the applications of S, B, and Zn over farmer's input treatment”
Claim · model-written summary
Sulfur, boron and zinc applications significantly increased castor yield relative to farmer input.
- Taxon
- castor
Ricinus communise0 - Treatment
- applications of S, B, and Zne0
- Outcome
- yield responsese0
- Direction
- increaseinferrede0
- Comparator
- farmer's input treatmente0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“significant yield responses of maize, castor, groundnut, and mung bean to the applications of S, B, and Zn over farmer's input treatment”
Claim · model-written summary
Sulfur, boron and zinc applications significantly increased groundnut yield relative to farmer input.
- Taxon
- groundnut
Arachis hypogaeae0 - Treatment
- applications of S, B, and Zne0
- Outcome
- yield responsese0
- Direction
- increaseinferrede0
- Comparator
- farmer's input treatmente0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“significant yield responses of maize, castor, groundnut, and mung bean to the applications of S, B, and Zn over farmer's input treatment”
Claim · model-written summary
Sulfur, boron and zinc applications significantly increased mung bean yield relative to farmer input.
- Taxon
- mung bean
.jpg?width=60)
Vigna radiatae0 - Treatment
- applications of S, B, and Zne0
- Outcome
- yield responsese0
- Direction
- increaseinferrede0
- Comparator
- farmer's input treatmente0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
.jpg?width=500)
Verbatim
e0“significant yield responses of maize, castor, groundnut, and mung bean to the applications of S, B, and Zn over farmer's input treatment”
Claim · model-written summary
Yield responses were larger when sulfur, boron and zinc were added with nitrogen and phosphorus.
- Taxon
- maize, castor, groundnut, and mung beanArachis hypogaea
Zea maysRicinus communisVigna radiatae2 - Treatment
- nitrogen (N) and Pe0
- Outcome
- yield responsese0
- Direction
- largere0
- Comparator
- applications of S, B, and Zne1
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“the yield responses were larger when these nutrients were added along with nitrogen (N) and P”
e1“applications of S, B, and Zn”
e2“maize, castor, groundnut, and mung bean”
Claim · model-written summary
The authors conclude soil testing can diagnose nutrient deficiencies.
Verbatim
e0“nutrient deficiencies can be diagnosed by soil testing”
e1“crop productivity”
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