Research Projects

The excessive use of mineral fertilizers in modern agriculture, particularly nitrogenous fertilizers, has led to a decline in crop productivity and negative impacts on soil health. Research on nanotechnology (NT) has shown promising results in various areas of agriculture, including crop nutrition. Nano fertilizers (NF) have the potential to revolutionize nutrient consumption and loss scenarios, benefiting farmers' economics. However, there is limited focus on the overall system approach, studying the soil-plant system as a whole. India has recently launched nano urea fertilizer commercially, aiming to replace conventional urea fertilizer. However, there is limited information on how nano urea applied through foliar application impacts crop growth, soil health, soil nutrient dynamics, decomposition of soil organic matter, and the C:N ratio of soil. Additionally, soil erosion is a major land degradation problem in India, resulting in significant nutrient losses through top soil removal. The present study aims to evaluate the impact of nano urea on crop growth, yield, and soil health in a maize-pea-wheat cropping system, examine how foliar application of nano urea affects the C:N ratio and C mineralization from soil, study the impact of foliar nano urea application on C and N losses through erosion and runoff, and compare different agriculture management systems to understand their sustainability and impact on soil health.