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Balanced nutrition is key to achieving sustainable output with efficient utilization of natural resources. A two-year field experiment was conducted to determine the combined effect of silicon (Si) and phosphorus (P) on system crop productivity (SP), system water productivity (SWP), system irrigation water use efficiency (SIWUE), and system profitability of aerobic-rice-wheat cropping system (ARWCS) in the Indo-Gangetic Plains of India. The four doses of Si viz. 0, 40, 80, and 120 kg Si ha– 1(S0, S1, S2 and S3) and four doses of P viz. 0, 30, 60, and 90 kg P2O5 ha−1(P0, P1, P2, and P3) were applied during both years. The results revealed that the application of P3 and S3 enhanced the rice equivalent yield (REY) and SP by 26–38.4% and 27.6–39.6%, respectively over control treatment. Similarly, SWP and SIWUE were also increased by 31.2–38.3% and 26.6–39.5% under the same treatment. Further, the application of P3 and S3 reduced the lodging by 69.4% and 85.9% in rice and wheat, respectively, over control. Further, the same treatment reduced the incidence of yellow stem borer and pink stem borer by 40.3–63.3% and 39.8–51.7%in rice and wheat, respectively. The soil available P and Si were also improved significantly with the application of S3. Therefore, the application of Si and P in aerobic rice-wheat cropping systems could be recommended for improving system crop productivity, SWP, SIWUE, besides improving soil health and crop resilience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silicon (Si) is known as a beneficial or quasi-essential element particularly for graminaceous crops, as Si increases photosynthetic efficiency, increased resistance to biotic and abiotic stress, aluminium toxicity, heavy metal toxicity, dry matter accumulation and enhances resistance to lodging and drought. The combined application of phosphorus (P) and Si has a significant impact on the growth and yield of various crops. While the residual effect of Si and P application on growth, yield and soil biological activity in wheat were not ascertained. Therefore, the present study was conducted to evaluate the residual effect of Si and P on the wheat crop. The four levels of Si (0, 40, 80, and 120 kg Si ha–1) and P (0, 30, 60, and 90 kg P2O5 ha–1) were applied to the preceding aerobic rice crop and their effect was evaluated in succeeding wheat crop after two years of application. The results demonstrated a significant effect of Si and P on wheat growth, yield, nutrient uptake, and soil enzyme activities. The residual effect of 120 kg Si and 90 kg P2O5 ha–1 significantly improved the grain yield of the succeeding wheat crop by 24–45%. Further, the residual Si and P remarkably improved Si, N, P, and K concentration in wheat grain by 35, 13.2, 45, and 56 %, respectively, over control. Similarly, an increase in the microbial biomass carbon, dehydrogenase, fluorescein diacetate, and alkaline phosphatase activity by 17.2, 33.5, 12.4, and 37.5%, respectively were observed in the residual application of 120 kg Si and 90 kg P2O5 ha–1 over control. Therefore, the inclusion of Si and P could have great potential to improve soil enzyme activities and productivity of the wheat crop. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rice is known to be a nutrient exhaustive crop and the application of silicon (Si) has been reported for the better utilization of plant nutrients from the soil. Hence, the response of the plant to phosphorus (P) could be enhanced by co-fertilization of Si and P. The present study evaluates the dry matter accumulation, grain yield, nutrients uptake, and nutrient-use efficiency of Si and P application in aerobic rice. Therefore, a field experiment was conducted at ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, India in a factorial randomized block design, the treatments comprised four levels of Si (0, 40, 80, and 120 kg Si ha–1) and P (0, 30, 60, and 90 kg P2O5 ha–1) application. The results revealed the significant effect of Si and P application on dry matter accumulation, grain yield, and nutrient uptake in aerobic rice. The dry matter accumulation and grain yield of aerobic rice was significantly higher with the combination of 120 kg Si and 90 kg P2O5 ha–1 closely followed by the combination of 80 kg Si and 60 kg P2O5 ha–1. The rate of increase in dry matter accumulation due to different doses of Si and P ranged between 7.6 and 25.6 % over control. A strong positive relationship was observed between different doses of Si and P and concentrations and uptakes of different nutrients, barring zinc. Application of Si and P significantly enhanced the grain concentration of Si, nitrogen, P, and potassium by 25, 16.5, 47, and 25 %, respectively, over control. Overall, the addition of Si and P application in nutrient management could increase the productivity and nutrient use efficiency of aerobic rice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maize is an important industrial crop where yield and quality enhancement both assume greater importance. Clean production technologies like conservation agriculture and integrated nutrient management hold the key to enhance productivity and quality besides improving soil health and environment. Hence, maize productivity and quality were assessed under a maize–wheat cropping system (MWCS) using four crop-establishment and tillage management practices [FBCT–FBCT (Flat bed–conventional tillage both in maize and wheat); RBCT–RBZT (Raised bed–CT in maize and raised bed–zero tillage in wheat); FBZT–FBZT (FBZT both in maize and wheat); PRBZT–PRBZT (Permanent raised bed–ZT both in maize and wheat], and five P-fertilization practices [P100 (100% soil applied-P); P50 + 2FSP (50% soil applied-P + 2 foliar-sprays of P through 2% DAP both in maize and wheat); P50 + PSB + AM-fungi; P50 + PSB + AMF + 2FSP; and P0 (100% NK with no-P)] in split-plot design replicated-thrice. Double zero-tilled PRBZT–PRBZT system significantly enhanced the maize grain, starch, protein and oil yield by 13.1–19% over conventional FBCT–FBCT. P50 + PSB + AMF + 2FSP, integrating soil applied-P, microbial-inoculants and foliar-P, had significantly higher grain, starch, protein and oil yield by 12.5–17.2% over P100 besides saving 34.7% fertilizer-P both in maize and on cropping-system basis. P50 + PSB + AMF + 2FSP again had significantly higher starch, lysine and tryptophan content by 4.6–10.4% over P100 due to sustained and synchronized P-bioavailability. Higher amylose content (24.1%) was observed in grains under P50 + PSB + AMF + 2FSP, a beneficial trait due to its lower glycemic-index highly required for diabetic patients, where current COVID-19 pandemic further necessitated the use of such dietary ingredients. Double zero-tilled PRBZT–PRBZT reported greater MUFA (oleic acid, 37.1%), MUFA: PUFA ratio and P/S index with 6.9% higher P/S index in corn-oil (an oil quality parameter highly required for heart-health) over RBCT-RBCT. MUFA, MUFA: PUFA ratio and P/S index were also higher under P50 + PSB + AMF + 2FSP; avowing the obvious role of foliar-P and microbial-inoculants in influencing maize fatty acid composition. Overall, double zero-tilled PRBZT–PRBZT with crop residue retention at 6 t/ha per year along with P50 + PSB + AMF + 2FSP while saving 34.7% fertilizer-P in MWCS, may prove beneficial in enhancing maize productivity and quality so as to reinforce the food and nutritional security besides boosting food, corn-oil and starch industry in south-Asia and collateral arid agro-ecologies across the globe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]